COMBATING MULTI-DRUG RESISTANCE: POTENTIALS OF KALANCHOE PINNATA EXTRACTS AGAINST BACTERIAL PATHOGENS

Background: The rapid rise of microbial resistance to traditional antibiotics has caused grave concerns for the treatment of infectious diseases. This serious problem increases the demand for significant plant-based antibacterial and antimicrobial drugs. Kalanchoe pinnata is one of the plants that has had significant antibacterial effects due to the presence of a wide range of bioactive compounds, so it could be an effective substitute for the current synthetic antibiotics. The study aimed to evaluate the anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties of a methanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves. Materials and Methods: The preliminary phytochemical screening was performed using standard biochemical assays. The anti-bacterial activity was determined against multidrug-resistant E. coli and S. aureus using the well-diffusion method. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric ion reducing antioxidant potential assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Results: The methanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, steroids, phenol, quinones, and proteins. The remarkable anti-bacterial activities were displayed against multidrug-resistant E. coli and S. aureus, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 50 mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively. The significant antioxidant activity was exhibited in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric ion reducing antioxidant potential assays. Conclusion: The results of this investigation suggested that the Kalanchoe pinnata extract may be useful as an alternative for antibiotics and may have pharmacological promise in the treatment of many diseases.