In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy Assessment of Ethanolic and Aqueous Extracts of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Verum) Bark against Selected Microbes

ABSTRACT To combat pathogens and reduce the major public health problem of antibiotic residues in animal products, scientists are looking for natural antibiotic substitutes that are effective against drug-resistant pathogenic microbes and spoilage fungi. The antimicrobial activity of three Cinnamomum verum extracts prepared with three different solvents (absolute ethanol, 50% ethanol, and aqueous extracts) was determined against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli) as well as two fungal strains. The antimicrobial activities of various Cinnamomum verum extracts against selected microbes were evaluated using the disc diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC), minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC), and the poisoned food technique. Cinnamomum verum bark (CVB) extracts inhibited and killed microbial growth to varying degrees. Our findings also revealed that extracts prepared with alcoholic solvents, particularly absolute ethanol-CVB extract, were more active compared with aqueous solvents, suggesting that the cinnamon plant is a promising natural antimicrobial agent for food preservation.