Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Effects of Musa Acuminata Bract

The study by A. Umamaheswari and colleagues from 2017 investigated the phytochemical components and antibacterial properties of the bract of Musa Acuminata. The methanolic extract of the bracts contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, polyphenol, and coumarin. Antibacterial activity was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the agar well diffusion method, showing that the extract inhibited both bacteria in a dose-dependent manner. Specifically, inhibition zones for E. coli ranged from 2 mm to 5 mm for volumes of 40 µl to 100 µl, while for S. aureus, they ranged from 2 mm to 5 mm for volumes of 100 µl to 400 µl. The study concluded that the bract's methanolic extract could be a potential treatment for bacterial infections and contribute to waste management and pollution reduction, though further research is necessary to pinpoint the antibacterial phytochemicals.