Antibacterial Activity of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) Seeds Extracts Against Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Infected Wounds

One of the most common hospital-acquired infections is a wound infection. Bacterial infection of wounds is a critical problem, and healing of wound infections remains important concern for surgeons. The problem has been exaggerated because of the uncontrolled and quickly spreading resistance to the existing antimicrobial agents. To overcome bacterial resistance to antibiotics, a variety of alternatives have been suggested. Medicinal plants extracted through various methods, as well as their nano-formulations, have emerged as promising sources for novel antimicrobial agents. This study evaluates the antibacterial efficacy of Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg) seed extracts against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria isolated from infected wounds. A total of 50 wound swab samples were collected from patients who were admitted to hospitals in Baghdad. Different biochemical tests were used to identify the isolated bacteria. An antibiotic susceptibility test was also done. M. fragrans seeds' ethanolic and aqueous crude extracts were prepared. The antibacterial activity of the extracts was investigated using the agar well diffusion method. Eight genera of bacterial agents were isolated and identified: Escherichia coli (58.3%), Acinetobacter baumannii (4.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.8%), Enterobacter (8.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (80%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (11.5%), and Streptococcus sp. (7.7%). Antibiotic susceptibility test showed that the isolated bacteria were multidrug-resistant. The results revealed potential activity of M. fragrance seeds extracts against the isolated bacteria. Hot ethanolic extract showed antibacterial activity in all concentrations (2 mg/ml, 4 mg/ml, and 8 mg/ml). The highest inhibition zone was 17.00±2.000, 14.67±0.77, and 14.33±1.5 mm at a concentration of 8 mg/ml against A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli, respectively. Followed by K. pneumoniae, Enterobacter sp., and S. aureus, the zone of inhibition was 13.67±1.528 mm and 12.67±1155 mm, respectively. Hot aqueous extract also showed activity. The highest inhibition zone at a concentration of 8 mg/ml was against Enterobacter sp. (15.00±0.000 mm), followed by A. baumannii (14.67±0.577mm), K. pneumoniae (14.33±0.577 mm), P. aeruginosa (13.67±0.577 mm), E. coli (13.00±1.000 mm), and S. aureus (12.00±0.000mm). M.  fragrans seed extracts showed antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Based on this work findings, M. fragrans extracts have a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.