In-Vitro Antimicrobial Effect of Aqueous and Alcoholic Extracts of Rheum Ribes on Some Food-Borne Pathogens

Background Food-borne pathogens are a group of microorganisms that cause food-borne illness, and the research for finding effective natural products against the infection arisen from these microorganisms is necessary. The purpose of this study was to determine antimicrobial effect of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Rheum ribes on some important foodborne bacteria.
Materials & Methods After collecting the leaves and stalks of rhubarb in the spring, its different concentrations of 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 mg/mL were prepared. Then, antibacterial effect of aqueous and ethanol extracts were determined by the disk diffusion and serial dilution methods.
Results Findings showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of stalks and leaves of rhubarb have good inhibitory effect on S. aureus and E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanolic leaves and stalks extracts of rhubarb against S. aureus and E. coli were ≤75, ≤50, ≤100, and ≤75, respectively, and MIC of the aqueous leaves and stalks extracts of rhubarb against S. aureus and E. coli were ≤100, ≤100, ≤125, and ≤100, respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentration of the ethanolic leaves and stalks extracts of rhubarb against S. aureus and E. coli were ≤100, ≤75, ≤150, and ≤125, respectively, and aqueous extracts did not have bactericidal effects.
Conclusion Extracts of rhubarb leave and stalk showed a good antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens. Therefore, they can be used in food preservation systems to inhibit the growth of these bacteria and improve food quality and safety.