Antibacterial Activity of Morinda citrifolia (Noni) Fruits against Selective bacterial Pathogens

ABSTRACT

Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) is an edible and medicinal fruit distributed in Tirunelveli, India. The antibacterial activities of the extracts of water, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and n-butanol were assayed by the disk diffusion method. The results showed that the extracts from Noni fruit possessed antibacterial effects against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus aureus. Among 5 different extracts, the Butanol extract produced the best antibacterial activity. The samples were first extracted by ethanol, and the primary compounds in the fraction of ethanol extract Butanol extract  was further isolated and identified. Six phenolic compounds, including 5, 15-dimethylmorindol, ferulic acid, p-hydroxycinamic acid, methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, methyl ferulate, and methyl 4-hydroxycinnamate, were identified by NMR. The results indicated that the phenolic compounds might significantly contribute to antibacterial activities of Noni fruit.

Keywords: antibacterial activity, isolation and identification, Morinda citrifolia (Noni) fruit