Survey on the use of Eryngium billardieri, Citrus aurantium and Foeniculum vulgare distillate wastewaters as a potential source antioxidant and antibacterial

Waste of plant distillates industries are a source of organic compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant effects of Eryngium billardieri, Citrus aurantium and Foeniculum vulgare wastewaters materials in vitro.

In this experimental study, samples of Eryngium billardieri, Citrus aurantium and Foeniculum vulgare wastewaters were collected at one of the factories in Kashan. After filtration and drying of the obtained solutions, total phenolic and flavonoid compounds were determined by colorimetric method. Also, antioxidant activity was evaluated by ferric reducing ability and antibacterial activities against antibiotic resistance Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the micro-dilution and disc diffusion methods.

The results showed that the highest amount of phenolic compounds (106. 46 mg/g) and flavonoids (13.6 mg/g) were in the F. vulgare wastewaters. The highest antioxidant activity was for F. vulgare (1229.9±30.44), C. aurantium (679.39±1.3), and E. billardieri (549.28±15.35 mmol Fe 2+/g at their highest concentration, respectively. None of the wastewaters samples had any effect on S. aureus, but F. vulgare and E. billardieri showed an anti-E. coli effect with MIC (166.66 mg/mL) and MBC (333.3 mg/mL).

This study was the first research on the biological activity of herbal distillate wastewaters in Iran. The results showed the presence of active compounds and the biological effects of these wastes. It is suggested that more extensive studies be carried out on the antibacterial activities on various gram negative and positive bacteria, as well as the identification of other compounds and biological properties such as cytotoxicity of herbal distillate wastewaters.