Antioxidant activities of seeds and sprouts of Momordica charantia and their antibacterial efficacies against pathogenic bacteria isolated from hospitalized patients

Abstract

During sprouting, significant chemical transformations frequently transpire, leading to variations in the concentrations of diverse bioactive compounds present in the seeds. Consequently, seeds and sprouts may have altered bioactivity. The current study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activities of crude hydroalcoholic (70 % ethanol and 30 % distilled water) extracts of Momordica charantia seeds and sprouts and their antibacterial efficacies against morbific bacteria sourced from hospitalized patients. Utilizing three assays- DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), and ferric ions reducing power), the antioxidant activities were evaluated. The results revealed that the sprout extract significantly outperformed the seed extract in terms of Fe³⁺ ions reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 163.37 ± 23.91 μg/ml), and ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 30.56 ± 6.90 µg/ml). The antibacterial efficacies against five morbific bacteria (Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella oxytoca) isolated from hospitalized patients were evaluated by the agar disc diffusion method. The findings indicated that the extracts derived from both sprouts and seeds exerted potent antibacterial efficacy by suppressing the growth of several clinical isolates. Both extracts possessed statistically significant (p < 0.05) antibacterial activity against Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli. Seed extract had greater antibacterial activity than sprout extract against Enterococcus faecalis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited the lowest and identical susceptibility at three distinct concentrations (200 μg, 400 μg, and 800 μg) of seed extract. No extracts have shown any antibacterial action against Klebsiella oxytoca. The results of the study indicate that Momordica charantia sprouts exhibit a greater capacity to scavenge free radicals as antioxidants, whereas seeds possess more potent and broader antibacterial efficacy compared to sprouts.