Chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of the waste of date palm (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L., arecaceae)

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal strains related to various diseases of different parts (leaf, fibre and fruit bunch) from waste of date palm (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L.) grown in southern Algeria were studied. HPLC-DAD showed that Quercetin was the most dominant polyphenolic component in all extracts. The antimicrobial activity test shows that leaf waste extract has the highest activity than fibre and fruit bunch waste extracts with inhibitory zone diameter (IZD) of 17.8, 12.1 and 14 mm against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i>, respectively. This agro-waste matrix may represent an important source not only of phenolic acid compounds but also of other bioactive molecules important for health. The valorisation of biowaste from date palm offers strategies to reduce waste and exploit potentially harmful health benefits and may be a valuable source of antimicrobial agents.