Evaluation of the antibacterial effect of the extract of Pistacia vera L. nut pericarp against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE)

In previous studies pharmacological, antioxidant characteristics of some Pistacia species has been reported, but a study on the antibacterial activity of pericarp of Pistacia vera L. has not been studied yet. This is the first study on the antibacterial effect of ethanolic extract of P. vera L. nut pericarp against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus using the disc agar diffusion method. The extract of P. vera was examined for its potential antibacterial activity which was previously prepared from nut pericarp, slight activity was observed at extract concentration 25 µg/ml, whereas higher concentration showed significant antibacterial activity against MRSA clinical isolates. While no antibacterial effect was observed against VRE clinical isolates. The results indicated that the extract of P. vera nut pericarp have the capacity to inhibit the growth of MRSA. Standard drugs with antibiotic action like cefoxitin, was also used against MRSA as the control agent and vancomycin was used as the control agent against VRE. The maximum zone of inhibition observed was 24 mm against MRSA.