Comparative Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities, antimicrobial activity and Phytochemical Contents of Carica papaya Grown With and Without Fertilizers

This project investigates the comparative antioxidant and antibacterial potential of Carica papaya fruits cultivated with and without the use of fertilizers. The growing interest in organic farming and natural therapeutics highlights the need to understand how cultivation practices influence the bioactive profile of medicinal fruits. In this study, papaya fruits were subjected to solvent extraction using acetone, methanol, and ethyl acetate to obtain phytochemical-rich extracts. The research focused on quantifying total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities through assays such as DPPH radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Additionally, the antibacterial efficacy of the extracts was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) methods. Sterility checks were conducted to ensure extract purity before microbiological testing. The project aims to establish a correlation between organic cultivation practices and the enhancement of bioactive compounds in Carica papaya, thereby supporting its application in the development of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial formulations.