Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Punica granatum peel extracts

Pomegranate peels were powdered and extracted with ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol (MeOH), and water for 1 h each at room temperature. Radical-scavenging activity of dried ethyl acetate, acetone, MeOH, and water extracts of pomegranate peels were compared with butylated hydroxyanisole at 5, 10, 25, and 50 ppm by high-performance liquid chromatography method using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. MeOH extract exhibited stronger radical-scavenging effect than others. MeOH extract showed marked reducing power in potassium ferricyanide reduction method. Antibacterial activity of acetone, MeOH, and water extracts was evaluated by pour plate method against a few Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Acetone extract showed the highest antibacterial activity, followed by MeOH and water extract.