Abstract
Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is an ancient fruit that is widely consumed as fresh fruit and juice. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that this fruit possesses antioxidant, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of two types of cultivars (sour and sweet) were tested. Therefore, methanolic and ethanolic extracts of different fruit parts (carp, peel, and seed) of Punica granatum L. were prepared and tested against four Gram-negative bacteria species, three Gram-positive bacteria species, and three fungal species using agar diffusion method as well as broth dilution method. The maximum value of the inhibition zone (40 mm) was obtained by ethanolic peel crude extract of sweet P. granatum against the Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus. The minimum inhibition zone (10 mm) was obtained, however, by an ethanolic crude extract of P. granatum against Salmonella typhimurium. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of P. granatum crude extracts showed that methanolic peel crude of sour P. granatum had the lowest MIC value (10 mu g/ml) against Serratia marcescens. In contrast, the highest MIC value (360 mu g/ml) was in case of methanolic seed crude of P. granatum against Micrococcus luteus.