Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects of Cocoa bean husk (CBH) extract

Plants are an excellent source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds that have shown promising results in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. In this study, cocoa bean husk (CBH) ethanolic extract showed potent inhibitory action. CBH extract demonstrated broad-range antibacterial potential against positive Gram and negative Gram bacteria, which are resistant to many drugs, with inhibition zones ranging from 14.7 to 21.0 mm. CBH extract demonstrated antifungal properties against A. fumigatus, A. niger, and C. albicans, displaying inhibition zones of 28.7, 31.0, and 18.7 mm, respectively. The MIC values of CBH ranged from 31.2 to 250 µg/mL. CBH extract exhibited strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. CBH extract has no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. Additionally, (+)-catechin was found to be the main bioactive polyphenolic component by HPLC analysis (13.36 mg/g), which may be the cause of the CBH extract's biological activity.