Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of four ethanolic extracts of bryophytes and ten fruit juices of commercial interest in Colombia against four pathogenic bacteria

Diversity of pathogenic microorganisms overcomes the defenses of animals, plants, and humans, causing severe diseases. The use of traditional antibiotics may have negative secondary effects on organisms and the environment. Therefore, we must search for new alternatives in plants that contain antimicrobial compounds, such as flavonoids, bioflavonoids, terpenes, fatty acids derivates, amongst others, which can be used as functional foods or phytotherapeutic products. Through the agar diffusion method (50 μl per well), the antibacterial activity (against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) of commercial fruit juices (pineapple, blueberry, pink pear, sweet aji, corozo, starfruit, Santander's medlar, sour grape, Isabella grape, and wild blackberry) and the ethanolic extracts of bryophytes, two mosses (Sphagnum magellanicum and Hypnum amabile) and two liverworts (Metzgeria decipiens and Trichocolea tomentosa) was evaluated and compared with ampicillin and clindamycin. The juices of blueberry, sour grape, Isabella grape and wild blackberry and all ethanolic extracts of bryophytes were active against at least two of the evaluated bacteria with different magnitudes of inhibition. This study opens the door to the use of an unexplored part of Colombian flora with the first report of antibacterial activity of these Colombian bryophytes (especially H. amabile and T. tomentosa), and confirms the potential use of fruit juices (mainly blackberry and blueberry) for the future development of natural products against pathogenic bacteria.