Evaluation of The Inhibitory Activity of Aqueous and Alcoholic (Punica granatum) Pomegranate Peel Extract on Some Bacterial species Isolated from Patients’ beds at Al-Refai Teaching Hospital

Background: Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel contains many active compounds such as tannins, phenols, and terpenes. Pomegranate has been used since ancient times in folk medicine to treat various stomach and intestinal diseases. People have also used it to treat epidermal and skin diseases, as well as to strengthen hair follicles. Aim: Evaluation of the inhibitory activity of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of pomegranate peel (P. granatum) on some antibiotic-resistant bacterial species in the patients' beds of the teaching hospital in Al-Rafai city. Which helps in improving the health and nursing care of hospital patients. Methods: Pomegranate peels were dried, ground, and extracted using methanol and water solvent. Bacteria were isolated from the patients' beds and two methods were used to test the sensitivity of microbes to the extracts, the first method was using disks and the second was using the density counting method. Nutrient broth was inoculated with single colonies of the isolated bacteria individually for each, then the medium was inoculated at 37°C for 24 h. Results: According to the study's findings, as it gave the lowest concentration of 2.5 mg/ml(minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of the aqueous extract of the following readings (1.022, 1.186 0.698) at a wave length (595 nn) for each of E.coli, Staph. aureus and Strep pyogens respectively. Conclusions: This study found the efficacy of pomegranate peel in the inhibition of bacteria increases with increasing concentrations of the aqueous extract. It can be used to sterilize beds in hospitals, which helps improve health and nursing care for hospital patients.