Efeito antimicrobiano de óleos e extratos de Mauritia flexuosa L. f. (arecaceae)

Abstract

Mauritia flexuosa is a plant with bioactive compounds and their fruit are considered a functional food, with a great source of carotenoids and also has anticancer and antimicrobial effects. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of M. flexuosa plant oils and extracts against bacteria and yeast sources of nosocomial infections. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the Agar Diffusion Method and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) in microdilution of buriti oils and extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella aerogenes and Candida albicans strains. It was found that the pulp oil showed a good action against the strains S. aureus MIC 31.25 μl, P. aeruginosa MIC62.5 μL, K. aerogenes MIC 31.25 μL the oil also had action against the fungus C. albicans with MIC 31.25 μL. The peel oil exhibited good activity against the same microorganisms mentioned, presenting identical MICs between them of 31.25 μL. The results obtained in this study allow us to point out M. flexuosa as an important source of natural antimicrobials, the oil of the epicarp (bark) and mesocarp (pulp), represent greater potential as a source of antimicrobial agents of nosocomial infections.