Functional Groups and Antimicrobial Activity of Ficus religiosa Aqueous Extract on Pathogenic Bacteria “in vitro”

Today, the use of herbal compounds to control and treat poisoning and infections bacterial has been considered. Ficus religiosa is a perennial plant that belongs to the Moraceae family. This study aimed to evaluate of the functional groups of bioactive compounds and antibacterial activity of Ficus religiosa aqueous extract on number of pathogenic bacteria “in vitro”.

The extraction of Ficus religiosa leaf with maceration method was done for 48 hours. Using Kirby-Bauer and well agar methods, the inhibition zone diameter (IZD) bacterial growth was measured by aqueous extract of Ficus religiosa leaves. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) were determined using the micro-dilution broth (in 96-well) and pour plate method, respectively. The functional groups of bioactive compounds of Ficus religiosa aqueous extract was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Staphylococcus epidermidis with a IZD of 13.1 and 16.3 mm in Kirby-Bauer and well diffusion agar methods had the highest susceptibility to Ficus religiosa leaf extract. The MIC was for Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria innocua 128, 64, 32 and 32 respectively. The MBC of Ficus religiosa aqueous extract was for Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria innocua >512, 512, 128 and 256 respectively. The main peaks of Ficus religiosa aqueous extract factor groups were observed in wave numbers of 3395.9, 2976.55, 2929.4, 1568.96, 1423.13, 1311.24, 1168.22, 1068.3, 861.75, 833.14, 771.85, 665.61 and 616.14 cm-1 .

The Ficus religiosa aqueous extract had antimicrobial activity on Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Listeria innocua. Therefore, the use of Ficus religiosa aqueous extract could be suggested in pharmaceutical industry.