Myristica Fragrans: A Potent Antibacterial Agent against Food Borne Pathogens

Abstract

The global challenge of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria has intensified due to the excessive use of antibiotics. In context to this, the antimicrobial activity of flower extract ofMyristica fragranswas evaluated against food borne pathogens includingSalmonella typhimurium,Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholera, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus.Myristica fragrans(Nutmeg) belonging to the familyMyristicaceae, is widely known for its medicinal properties as an appetiser and gastric stimulant. The flower extract ofMyristica fragransshowed good antibacterial activity againstShigella flexneriwith MIC of 26.5±0.70.The second phase of the study was aimed at exploring the potency ofMyristica fragransin regulating the gene expression of Shigella flexneri; stx-1 gene coding for the Shiga toxin wherein The PCR studies concluded the potent activity of the extract in down regulating the stx-1 gene when compared to that of the control. The significance of this study lies in the fact that there has been no research carried out so far with the flower extract ofMyristica fragransalthough potent activities have been demonstrated by the other parts of the plant

Keywords: Foodborne pathogens; Multidrug resistance; Polymerase chain reaction; Shigella flexneri; Myristica fragrans