ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIBIOTIC-POTENTIATION ACTIVITIES OF LEMON AGAINST DRUG RESISTANT PHENHOTYPES

Antibiotic resistance continues to pose a significant problem in the management of bacterial infections despite advances in antimicrobial chemotherapy and supportive care. Therefore, it is necessary to search the other alternatives that can be effective in the treatment of these infections. The present work was aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiotic-potentiation activities of lemon against drug resistant phenotypes. The sensitivity of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was determined by performing antibiotic sensitivity test (AST). They were found to be resistant to tested antibiotics and since S. aureus was resistant to oxacillin it was classified as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The phytochemical analysis of lemon juice and lemon peel extract showed presence of flavonoids, phenols, steroids, reducing sugar and alkaloid. Antioxidant activity which was determined by Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay method showed increasing trend in reducing power with the increase in concentration for both samples. The antibacterial activity of lemon juice, lemon peel extract and citric acid was screened against resistant isolates by using agar well diffusion method. All three samples were found to show good antibacterial effect against MRSA and P. aeruginosa. The MIC was performed and minimum concentration of sample inhibiting test organism was found to be 1:4. The antibiotic-potentiation activity of lemon juice, lemon peel extract and citric acid was carried out by agar dilution method. It was found that all above three samples at certain dilution in combination with antibiotic modulated the activity of antibiotic which resulted in the inhibition of drug resistant bacteria. Liquid sanitizer was prepared using lemon juice showed reduction in bacterial growth after treatment which proves its efficacy as a sanitizer.