Antibacterial Effects of Methanolic Extract of Myristica fragrans against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii Producing broad-spectrum beta-lactamase

The rise of various strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become [E1] one of the primary concerns. Therefore, efforts to utilize plant-derived drugs against drug-resistant bacteria have gained particular importance. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effects of the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates that produce broad-spectrum beta-lactamases. The plant extract was prepared using the maceration method. Then, the extract was filtered through Whatman filter paper, Grade 1, and concentrated and dried using a rotary evaporator system. Concentrations of 80, 40, 20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, and 0.625 mg/mL of the extract were prepared in a 1:1 v/v mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide and methanol as solvents. Beta-lactamase-producing isolates were identified using the phenotypic method with the antibiotic's cefotaxime and the combination of cefotaxime/clavulanic acid. The agar well diffusion method assessed the antibacterial activity against the isolates. Based on the results, 33% of the Klebsiella isolates and 50% of the Acinetobacter isolates were found to produce beta-lactamase. All of the isolates were sensitive to the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans, with an average minimum inhibitory concentration of 10 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. According to the findings, it can be inferred that the Myristica fragrans extract can inhibit Klebsiella and Acinetobacter isolates in vitro. Therefore, with further research and identification of active compounds, it may be possible to utilize this extract as a potential alternative to antibiotics for treatment in the future.