POTENTIAL ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF A POPULAR JUJUBE FRUIT: APPLE KUL (ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA)

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of a methanolic extract of Apple kul (Zizyphus mauritiana) as it has not been studied extensively. Apple kul was found to be a rich source of polyphenols (52.192.38mg gallic acid equivalents/100g), flavonoids (13.19 +/- 1.31mg catechin equivalents/100g), ascorbic acid (48.17 +/- 2.04mg ascorbate equivalent/100g) and tannins (50.20 +/- 3.61mg tannic acid equivalents/100g). The estimated protein and reducing sugar contents in Apple kul were 1.21 +/- 0.04g/100g and 1.96 +/- 0.15g/100g, respectively. The high ferric-reducing antioxidant power value (6336.71 +/- 554.88mol Fe [II]/g) also indicated a high antioxidant potency for Apple kul. Apple kul showed highest activity towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Practical ApplicationsApple kul is full of vital potential antioxidants and can act as an antimicrobial agent, which is beneficial to fight against oxidative stress associated diseases as well as against harmful bacteria to maintain a healthy human life.