Antimicrobial potential of extracts from agroindustrial residues of Maule Region, Chile

Bacterial and fungal infections, among which urinary tract infections (UTI) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) stand out, have a high prevalence among young, healthy women, affecting 75% of them of childbearing age. The main causative agent of UTIs is Escherichia coli, while Candida albicans mainly cause VVC. Strategies for the treatment of these infections generate the appearance of microorganisms resistant to commonly used antibiotics and antifungals In this work, the antimicrobial potential of ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from agroindustrial waste from the Maule region, Chile (Chilean papaya, blueberry, and grape) was evaluated against the pathogens that cause UTIs and VVC by measuring the halo of inhibition. The extracts were chemically characterized by analysis of total phenolics and the antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH^· and ABTS^·+ radical scavenging assays. Extracts from Chilean papaya, blueberry, and grape residues showed a total phenolic content ranging from 4.91 to 17.22 g GAE/100 g of extract. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts varied between 21.6 and 101.2 µg/mL. According to the inhibition zone observed, the antimicrobial activity of the extracts was classified as moderate to good. The results suggest that the proposed agroindustrial waste extracts could potentially be used as functional ingredients to treat CVV and UTIs caused by E. coli, providing added value to the residues.