<em>In vitro</em> radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial potential of <em>Berberis asiatica</em> Roxb. ex DC. fruit extracts in four different processed forms

Abstract

<em>Berberis asiatica </em>Roxb. ex DC<em>.</em> fruit, sampled in four different states as dried, pulp, juice and pomace, were extracted sequentially with solvents of varying polarity. All different crude extracts were screened for quantification of total phenols (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC) by Folin–Ciocalteu’s phenol method and Aluminium chloride colorimetric method. The high TPC and TFC of juice and pomace extracts followed by dried and pulp extracts correspond to their high radical scavenging activity with efficient microbial inhibitory potential. The range of antioxidant capacity (FRAP assay) of different extracts laid between 55 mM TE/g to 480 mM TE/g extract.<em> Bacillus cereus</em> exhibited high sensitivity to all the extracts with maximum zone of inhibition (27 mm) at extract concentration 50 mg/mL (Juice Ethyl acetate extract) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 8 mg/mL to 2 mg/mL. The results provided a mark for the fruit under investigation that it might be a potential source of rich phenolics, antioxidants and antimicrobial agents that can be utilized in food industry.