Antimicrobial potential of selected fruit peel extracts against multidrug-resistant bacteria: An eco-friendly approach

The rapid rise of multidrug resistance (MDR) bacteria due to the misuse of antibiotics necessitates the discovery of alternative therapeutic agents. This study investigates the antimicrobial properties of methanolic extract of selected fruit peels: Carica papaya, Ananas comosus, Musa acuminata, and Punica granatum. These extracts were tested against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae). The findings indicated that all four fruit peel extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against all the selected pathogenic strains. The effectiveness of the extracts followed the following orders: P. granatum > M. acuminata > C. papaya > A. comosus for S. aureus, P. granatum > C. papaya > M. acuminata > A. comosus for P. aeruginosa, and A. comosus > M. acuminata > C. papaya > P. granatum for K. pneumoniae. Notably, K. pneumoniae demonstrated high sensitivity to A. comosus extract with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 6.25 mg/mL. S. aureus inhibition was observed with a MIC of 12.5 mg/mL for both P. granatum and M. acuminata extracts, while P. aeruginosa showed a MIC of 12.5 mg/mL for both P. granatum and C. papaya extracts. Qualitative phytochemical analysis along with structural elucidation using Gas chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), identified medicinally significant compounds like Tetracyclononane hexamethyl, phthalic acid, 9-octadecenal, 7-methyl undecane, 2-dodecyl-propanediol in these peels, likely contributing to their antimicrobial activity. Thus, this study demonstrates the potential of these fruit peels as effective antimicrobial agents and highlights their role in sustainable waste management.