Comparative Antibacterial Study of Different Extract of Pomegranate and Its Wild Variety

Plants have traditionally provided a source of hope for novel drug compounds, as plant herbal mixtures have made large contributions to human health and well-being. We report in this work for the first time, the potent antibacterial activity of Punica granatum and its wild form daru. Ethanol, petroleum ether and distilled water extract of fruit’s white membrane were screened for in vitro activity against four dental bacteriaStreptococcus sp., Lactobacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp. and Proteus sp. This plant was selected due to its traditional use for the treatment of oral infections. Among three tested extracts ethanol extract was the most effective against all the four dental bacteria. INTRODUCTION: The potential for developing antibacterial from higher plants appears rewarding as it will lead to the development of a phytomedicine, to act against microbes. Medicinal plants have been used as traditional treatments for numerous human diseases for thousands of years and in many parts of the world. In rural areas of the developing countries, they continue to be used as the primary source of medicine . About 80% of the people in developing countries use traditional medicines for their health care . In the 2000-2006, approximately 50% of new chemical molecules extracted from natural products demonstrated their importance for the development of drugs in the treatment of infectious diseases . The natural products derived from medicinal plants have proven to be an abundant source of biologically active compounds, many of which have been the basis for the development of new lead chemicals for pharmaceuticals. With respect to diseases caused by microorganisms, the increasing resistance in many common pathogens to currently used therapeutic agents, such as antibiotics and antiviral agents, has led to renewed interest in the discovery of novel antiinfective compounds. As there are approximately 500000 plant species occurring worldwide, of which only 1% has been phytochemically investigated, there is great potential for discovering novel bioactive compounds. Antibiotic resistance has become a global concern in recent years. This problem is of great significance especially in developing countries because infectious diseases are one of the major causes of mortality in these countries. Dental diseases are a type of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria in dental plaque. There have been numerous reports of the use of traditional plants and natural products for the treatment of oral diseases as they are a rich source of antimicrobial agents . Many plant-derived medicines used in traditional medicinal systems have been recorded in pharmacopeia as agents used to