Antimicrobial activity of dried fig (Ficus carica L.) extracts from the region of Mascara (Western Algeria) on Enterobacter cloacae identified by MALDI-TOF/MS

Enterobacter cloacae is currently known as a urinary tract infection agent, especially in hospitals recognized by its resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporin’s, which makes it a target for different works in order to find natural and definitive means of fight and treatment. Their limited biochemical reactivity and their different morphotypes is a real obstacle to their identification by conventional phenotypic means. 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing is highly successful for bacterial identification. However, in recent years, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time in flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a very valid technique for the identification and diagnosis of microorganisms. Our study aims to identify three bacteria belonging to the Enterobacter cloacae species isolated from various environments by the MALDI-TOF/MS method and then to study their antimicrobial activity against some extracts of dried figs of Ficus carica fruits grown in the mascara region (western Algeria). The determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) shows a significant inhibition of the activity of E. cloacae by the methanolic extract of El-Keurt variety at 2.34 mg/ml of extract. This study seems to give good guidance for the use of dried figs against Enterobacter infections.