In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Camelina Seed Extracts as Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds

The antimicrobial efficacy of seed extracts (methanol, ethanol, propanol, acetone and sterile deionized water) of Camelina sativa cv. Calena (EC643910) against different microbial cultures causing infections/diseases was investigated by agar disc diffusion method. Kanamycin (1000 μg/ml) and clotrimazole (100 μg/ml) were used as standard drugs for antibacterial and antifungal assay, respectively. Among all test extracts, methanolic seed extract (Disc 1) showed significant, while ethanolic seed extract (Disc 2) showed intermediate activity against most of the test pathogens. However, no activity was observed in rest of the extracts (Disc 3–10) against all test pathogens. The inhibition zones ranged from 7 to 14 mm for antibacterial and from 9 to 20 mm for antifungal activity, respectively. The total phenol content was observed as 42.9, 23.3, 13.5, 11.3 and 3.4 μmol g/DW in methanolic, ethanolic, propanolic, acetone and sterile deionized water extracts of Camelina, respectively. Likewise, the ascorbate peroxidase activity was observed highest in methanolic extract that was ~2.5, 10.2, 14.3 and 5.7-folds higher as compared to ethanolic, propanolic, acetone and sterile deionized water extracts of Camelina, respectively. Similarly, guaiacol peroxidase activity was also observed highest in methanolic extract as compared to other extracts, which is ~1.9, 7.3, 8 and 6.6-folds higher as compared to ethanolic, propanolic, acetone and sterile deionized water extracts of Camelina, respectively. Therefore, present results clearly speculate that the possibility of using Camelina seed extracts as a potential natural preservative and for the development of future herbal formulations. © 2015, The National Academy of Sciences, India.