Abstract
Dates contain many minerals, which is very important for healthy life. Sodium, potassium, calcium, manganese, cupper, cadmium, nickel, lead, ferric, zinc, cobalt and magnesium were determined in twenty samples, collected from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, of two types of dates, Safawy (Phoenix dactylifera) and Chinese date (Ziziphus zizyphus). The mean value of sodium was 3.5 mu g/g and 3.8 mu g /g in Chinese and Safawy dates, respectively. The mean concentrations of potassium were 1.34 mu g/g and 1.04 mu g/g but the mean concentrations of the detected calcium were 12.7 mu g/g and 9.1 mu g/g in the Chinese date and Safawy date, respectively. Manganese concentration means were 1.50 and 2.64 mu g/g in Chinese and Safawy dates, respectively. Cupper, cadmium, nickel, ferric, zinc, cobalt, magnesium were detected in the two previous types of dates but lead was not detected in either Chinese or Safawy dates. The antibacterial activity of date water extracts was determined using agar well diffusion method. The water extract of Chinese date (inhibition zone ranged from 11-19 mm) was more active compared to the extract of Safawy date (inhibition zone ranged from 10-13 mm). The antibacterial activity of date water extracts was compared with that of Ampicillin (control antibiotic). [Madeha N. Al-seeni. Minerals Content and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Palm Extracts against Some Pathogenic Bacteria. Life Sci J 2012;9(2):504-508]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 75