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LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798

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Antibacterial activity of Melastoma candidum D. Don

Yuan-Chuen Wang*, Hsing-Wen Hsu, Wen-Ling Liao
Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-kuang Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan, ROC
Received 14 October 2007; received in revised form 14 January 2008; accepted 8 February 2008

Abstract

Melastoma candidum D. Don is a plant of the Melastomataceae family that has been used as folk medicine in Taiwan. In this study, the
antibacterial activity of M. candidum extracts was investigated. Water, acetone, ethanol (95 ml/100 ml), and ethyl acetate extracts of M. candi-
dum exhibited antibacterial activity, especially the acetone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extracts. Over one-third of MICs for those two extracts
were close to or equal to that of amoxicillin. MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for the acetone extract were 0.02e
0.64 mg/ml and 0.08e2.56 mg/ml, respectively; while for the ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extract, corresponding values were 0.04e1.28 mg/ml
and 0.16e5.12 mg/ml, respectively. The acetone M. candidum extract exhibited good thermal stability subsequent to heating from 70 to
121  C for 15e60 min; further, no dramatic changes in the MICs in a range of pH 5e8 were noted. Overall, M. candidum acetone extract re-
vealed a good bactericidal effect, good thermal stability (heating at 121  C for 15 min), and broad antibacterial activity in the pH range of 5e8.
Ó 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology.

Keywords: Melastoma candidum D. Don; Bactericidal activity; Thermal stability

1. Introduction
Plants can resist parasitic attacks using several defense
mechanisms. One of such is the synthesis of antimicrobial
compounds which elicit defense substances called phyto-
alexins. Plant defense substances belong to a wide range of
different chemical classes including flavonoids, terpenoids, al-
kaloids, steroidal saponins, tannins, phenolic acids, lactones,
quinones essential oil, and polyphenols (Cowan, 1999).
Many plant materials have been investigated for their anti-
microbial activity. The addition of raisins to the formulation of
beef jerky had a marked inhibitory effect on pathogenic bacte-
ria (Bower, Schilke, & Daeschel, 2003). Rosemary extract has
demonstrated antimicrobial activity against a number of food-
borne pathogenic bacteria (Campo, Amiot, & Nguyen-The,
2000). The presence of diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide
(garlic-derived organosulfur compounds) in ground beef
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ886 4 22 840 385x4220; fax: þ886 4 22 854
053.
E-mail address: ycwang@nchu.edu.tw (Y.-C. Wang).
significantly reduced the total aerobic bacteria (Yin & Cheng,
2003). Further, growth of Listeria monocytogenes on chicken
frankfurters was inhibited in the presence of clove oil (Mytle,
Anderson, Doyle, & Smith, 2006). The ethyl acetate soluble
fraction of Castanea sativa leaves exhibited antibacterial ef-
fect (Basile et al., 2000). Quercetin and naringenin derived
from citrus fruits exhibited antibacterial effect (Rauha et al.,
2000). Three tropical plants (Actinidia chinensis, Feijoa sello-
wiana, and Aberia caffra) have been frequently used as food-
stuffs exhibiting significant antimicrobial activity (Basile
et al., 1997). The growth of Escherichia coli and Salmonella
Infantis were inhibited by Cinnamomum cassia extract
(Alzoreky & Nakahara, 2003). In addition, a methanol extract
of Juniperus oxycedrus L. exhibited notable bactericidal activ-
ity (Karaman et al., 2003).
Further, other natural products are also considered to pos-
sess antimicrobial activity. Propolis has a long history of being
used in folk medicine and was reported having antibacterial,
antifungal, and antiviral activities. The related active com-
pounds of labdane-type diterpenic acids, phenolic acids, and
flavonoids have been isolated (Banskota, Tezuka, & Kadota,
2001). Protamine, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, exhibited

0023-6438/$34.00 Ó 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology.
doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2008.02.005
1794 Y.-C. Wang et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798
antimicrobial properties against bacteria, yeasts, and moulds
(Johansen, Gill, & Gram, 1995). The addition of antimicrobial
protein derived from porcine leukocytes to ground ham and
sausage posed a significant hurdle to formation of viable bac-
terial colonies (Wang, 2003).
Melastoma candidum D. Don is a plant of the Melastoma-
taceae family that grows throughout southern China, Taiwan,
Japan, and the Philippines. This folk medicinal plant is often
used in Taiwan to eliminate stasis, clean the serum of toxins,
treat traumatic injury, and cure bacterial dysentery (Lee,
1994). The three active compounds (castalagin, procyanidin
B-2, and helichrysoside) isolated from the leaf have been re-
ported to lower blood pressure through decreasing the sympa-
thetic tone and causing direct vasodilatation in adult
hypertensive rats (Cheng, Hsu, & Chen, 1993). Four leaf-iso-
lated flavonoids (quercitrin, isoquercitrin, rutin, and quercetin)
exhibited an inhibitory effect on monoamine oxidase B (Lee
et al., 2001).
The aim of the current study was to investigate the antibac-
terial activity of M. candidum. To this end, the antibacterial
spectra, MIC and MBC values, thermal stability, and effect
of pH on the antibacterial activity of the M. candidum extract
were investigated.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Plant material and extracts preparation
M. candidum is a plant of the Melastomataceae family,
from which samples were collected and identified by Techni-
cian N. Y. Chiu (China Medical University, Taichung, Tai-
wan). A sample of this plant (voucher specimen no. 250482)
has been deposited at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution-
ary Biology (College of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Uni-
versity, Taipei, Taiwan). The dried mixed stems and roots of
M. candidum were used for the preparation of this herbal ex-
tract. Various extraction solvents including water, acetone, eth-
anol (95 ml/100 ml), ethyl acetate, and n-hexane were used.
Extraction solvent (200 ml) was added to 30 g of ground spec-
imen that was passed through a 0.25-mm screen, stirred at
room temperature for 1 h, and then centrifuged at 13,666g
for 15 min at 4  C. The residue was extracted two more times
with 200 ml of extraction solvent each time. All the superna-
tants were combined and concentrated to dryness in a rotary
vacuum evaporator at less than 40  C (less than 50  C for
the water extract).
2.2. Bacterial strains and cultivation
Bacillus cereus BCRC 10603 and 10250; Bacillus subtilis
BCRC 10258 and 10267; Staphylococcus aureus BCRC
12653, 12654, 12656, 12657, and 12660; Enterococcus faeca-
lis BCRC 10066; E. coli BCRC 11509, 15372, and 41443;
Salmonella Typhimurium BCRC 12947; Serratia marcescens
Bizio BCRC 10768; Proteus vulgaris BCRC 10728; and Vib-
rio parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806, 12959, 13023, and 13026
were obtained from the Bioresources Collection and Research
Center (Hsinchu, Taiwan). L. monocytogenes USDA Scott A
was obtained from the United States Department of Agricul-
ture (Washington, DC, USA). Each bacterial suspension
(100 ml, 0.5e1.0  106 CFU/ml) was inoculated into 5 ml of
tryptic soy broth (TSB; Difco, Becton Dickinson, Sparks,
MD, USA). The mixture was incubated at 37  C and simulta-
neously shaken at 80 rpm for 12 h. For V. parahaemolyticus
cultivation, the TSB was supplemented with 2.5 g/100 g so-
dium chloride.
2.3. Inhibitory-zone testing
The inhibitory-zone testing with water, acetone, ethanol
(95 ml/100 ml), ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts of M. can-
didum were performed according to the method of Johnson
and Christine (1995). About 0.1 ml of each bacterial suspen-
sion (0.5e1.0  106 CFU/ml) was spread onto a Mueller
Hinton medium (MHA, Difco, MD, USA). For V. parahaemo-
lyticus cultivation, the MHA was supplemented with 2.5 g/
100 ml sodium chloride. Wells sized 7 mm in diameter were
punched on the plates with 30 ml of the M. candidum extract
[0.2 g/ml; dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent] to be indi-
vidually incorporated into the wells. Amoxicillin (0.0075 g/
ml; DMSO as solvent) was used as the positive control. The
extracts in the plate wells were allowed to diffuse at 4  C
for 2 h, and incubated at 37  C for 24 h. The clear zone around
each well was observed and its diameter was examined. Ex-
periments were performed in triplicate.
2.4. MIC and MBC testing
Both the MICs and MBCs for the acetone and ethanol
(95 ml/100 ml) extracts of M. candidum were established us-
ing a broth-dilution method (Davidson & Parish, 1989). In
brief, for MIC testing, the extract was dissolved with DMSO
and diluted with two-fold dilutions of tryptic soy agar (TSA,
Difco, MD, USA; TSA supplemented to 2.5 g/100 ml sodium
chloride for V. parahaemolyticus cultivation). A volume of
0.1 ml bacterial suspensions (0.5e1.0  106 CFU/ml) was
spread onto TSAeextract plate and incubated at 37  C for
24 h. The resultant colonies that formed on the plate were enu-
merated. Amoxicillin was used as the positive control. The
MIC was defined as the lowest concentration of the test sample
at which no bacterial colony was formed on the plate. Exper-
iments were performed in triplicate.
For MBC testing, the extract was dissolved with DMSO
and diluted with two-fold dilutions of TSB. Bacterial suspen-
sions were added to the broth to produce an initial bacterial
count of 0.5e1.0  106 CFU/ml. The mixture was incubated
at 37  C and simultaneously shaken at 80 rpm for 12 h.
A 0.1-ml volume of each suspension was spread onto TSA
plate. Then, it was incubated again at 37  C for 24 h. The
resultant colonies formed on the TSA plate were enumerated.
Amoxicillin was used as the positive control. The MBC was
defined as the lowest concentration of M. candidum extract
at which no bacterial colony was formed on the TSA plate.
Experiments were performed in triplicate.
 Y.-C. Wang et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798 1795

2.5. Thermal stability of M. candidum extract
The acetone extract of M. candidum at a concentration of
15 g/100 ml (DMSO was used for the solvent) was heated at
70 or 100  C for 60 min or 121  C for 15 min. The heat-treated
extracts were then examined for MICs. Unheated extract was
used for the control. Experiments were performed in triplicate.
simultaneously shaken at 80 rpm for 24 h. Resultant bacterial
density was detected at 660 nm using a spectrophotometer
(Hitachi U-1100). Experiments were performed in triplicate.
3. Results
3.1. Antibacterial spectra of M. candidum extract

2.6. Effect of pH on the antibacterial activity
The pH of TSA containing two-fold dilutions of acetone
extract of M. candidum were adjusted to arrive a final pH of
5e8 with 3 mol eq/l HCl or 3 mol eq/l NaOH solution before
solidifying. The MICs were then determined. The pH-
unadjusted TSA plate containing the same extract was used
as the control. Experiments were performed in triplicate.
2.7. Effect of pH on the bacterial growth
Eight bacterial strains (B. cereus BCRC 10603, L. monocyto-
genes USDA Scott A, S. aureus BCRC 12657, E. faecalis BCRC
10066, E. coli BCRC 41443, S. Typhimurium BCRC 12947, P.
vulgaris BCRC 10728, and V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806)
were examined for the effect of environmental pH on their
growth. The test strains were cultivated in TSB with a final
pH value of 4e8 by adjustment with 3 mol eq/l HCl or 3 mol
eq/l NaOH solution. The mixture was incubated at 37  C and
The antibacterial spectra for five M. candidum extracts us-
ing inhibitory-zone testing are presented in Table 1. Of the five
solvent extracts, ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) and acetone extracts
exhibited the highest antibacterial activity. The growths of
all the Gram-positive strains and over half of the Gram-nega-
tive strains were inhibited, of which the diameter of inhibitory
zones was greater than 16 mm. By comparison with the con-
trol, of the 21 inhibitory zones, 8 zones were equal to or larger
than the positive control (amoxicillin). The activity of ethyl
acetate extract followed that of ethanol and acetone extracts.
Moreover, growths of all of Gram-positive strains and over
half of the Gram-negative strains were inhibited by ethyl ace-
tate extract but the inhibitory zones were slightly smaller than
those of ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) and acetone extracts. The wa-
ter and n-hexane extracts demonstrated weak antibacterial ac-
tivity, as both the inhibited strains and inhibitory zones were
fewer/smaller than the other three extracts. Further, the
Gram-positive strains were more susceptible than the Gram-
negative strains to the M. candidum extract.

Table 1
Antibacterial spectra for various solvent extracts of Melastoma candidum
Strain Inhibitory zone of extracta
Water Acetone Ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) Ethyl acetate n-hexane Amoxicillinb
Gram-positive bacteria
Bacillus cereus BCRC 10603 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ þ þþþþ
B. cereus BCRC 10250 þþ þþþ þþþþ þþþ þ þþþþ
Bacillus subtilis BCRC 10258 þþ þþþ þþþ þþ þ þþþþ
B. subtilis BCRC 10267 þ þþþ þþþ þþ þ þþþþ
Listeria monocytogenes USDA Scott A þþþþ(H) þþþþ(H) þþ þþ  þþþþ
Staphylococcus aureus BCRC 12653 þ þþþ þþþ þþ þþ(H) þþ
S. aureus BCRC 12654 þ þþþ þþþ þþ(H) þþ(H) þþþ
S. aureus BCRC 12656 þþ þþþ þþþ þþ  þþþþ
S. aureus BCRC 12657 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ þ þþþþ
S. aureus BCRC 12660 þþ þþ(H) þþþ þþ(H) þþ(H) þþþ
Enterococcus faecalis BCRC 10066 þ(H) þþ þþ þ(H)  þþþþ
Gram-negative bacteria
Escherichia coli BCRC 11509      þþþþ
E. coli BCRC 15372      þþþþ
E. coli BCRC 41443  þ    
Salmonella Typhimurium BCRC 12947  þ þþþþ(H)   þþþþ
Serratia marcescens Bizio BCRC 10768    þ þ þþþþ
Proteus vulgaris BCRC 10728 þ þþ þþþ þ þþ(H) þþþþ
Vibrio parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ  þþþ
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 12959 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ  þþ
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 13023 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ  þþþ
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 13026 þþ þþþ þþþ þþþ  þþþ
þþþþ: >20 mm (dia); þþþ: 20e16 mm (dia); þþ: 15e11 mm (dia); þ: 10e8 mm (dia); :  7 mm (dia).
H: hazy zone.
a
All extracts with concentration of 0.2 g/ml and 30 ml were incorporated into each well.
b
Concentration of 0.0075 g/ml and 30 ml were incorporated.
1796 Y.-C. Wang et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798

3.2. MICs and MBCs for M. candidum extract
MICs and MBCs for both acetone and ethanol (95 ml/
100 ml) M. candidum extracts revealed a notable antibacterial
activity (Table 2). By comparison with the positive control
(amoxicillin), there were over one-third of MICs for the ace-
tone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extracts close to or equal to
the amoxicillin. The MICs for the acetone M. candidum extract
against 18 bacterial strains ranged from 0.02 to 0.64 mg/ml.
For 15 strains, the MICs were less than 0.10 mg/ml. The
MICs for the ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) M. candidum extract
against 18 bacterial strains ranged from 0.04 to 1.28 mg/ml.
For 12 strains, the MICs were less than 0.10 mg/ml. Thus,
the M. candidum acetone extract was more effective in antibac-
terial activity than that of the ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extract.
MBCs for the acetone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) M. can-
didum extracts are illustrated in Table 2. Both the acetone and
ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extracts exhibited significant bacteri-
cidal activity. MBCs for the acetone extract against 18 bacte-
rial strains ranged from 0.08 to 2.56 mg/ml, of which 14
strains revealed MBCs being less than 1.0 mg/ml. MBCs for
the ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extract against 18 bacterial strains
ranged from 0.16 to 5.12 mg/ml, of which 10 strains revealed
MBCs being less than 1.0 mg/ml. From the results of the
MBCs in Table 2, we also found that the acetone extract
was more effective in bactericidal activity than that of the eth-
anol (95 ml/100 ml) extract.
3.3. Thermal stability of M. candidum extract
The thermal stability of the acetone M. candidum extract on
antibacterial activity was also investigated. Four Gram-positive
strains (B. cereus BCRC 10603, L. monocytogens USDA Scott
A, S. aureus BCRC 12657, and E. faecalis BCRC 10066) and
four Gram-negative strains (E. coli BCRC 41443, S. Typhimu-
rium BCRC 12947, P. vulgaris BCRC 10728, and V. parahae-
molyticus BCRC 10806) were tested. The antibacterial activity
of heat-treated acetone M. candidum extract was not influenced
by any of the heat treatments (heating at 70  C for 60 min,
100  C for 60 min, and 121  C for 15 min), all the MICs re-
mained the same as the control (data not shown).
3.4. Effect of pH on the antibacterial activity
In order to investigate the efficacy of the M. candidum ex-
tract as being the pH dependent or not, we examined the impact
of pH on MICs for the acetone M. candidum extract. The results
are illustrated in Table 3. At pH 5, as compared to the control
(pH ¼ 7.3), the MICs for the extract against three bacterial
strains appeared to have declined somewhat, whereas against
other two bacterial strains they had increased. At pH 6, the
MIC values against three bacterial strains revealed an increase
as compared to the control. At pH 7, the pH value of the me-
dium was quite close to that for the control, and therefore, all
MICs were virtually identical to the control. At pH 8, MIC
values against two bacterial strains revealed a decline in com-
parison to the control. We were uncertain whether these changes
of MICs caused by the pH of the bacterial culture or the extract.
Therefore, we have investigated the effect of pH upon the
growth of test bacteria. The results are shown in Fig. 1. With ex-
ception to V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806, all the test strains
grew well (or moderately well) at pH 5; otherwise, all the strains
cultured well (or moderately well) at pH 6e8. From the results
of Table 3 and Fig. 1, we were able to conclude that the MICs
changed in comparison to the control mainly due to the pH of
the M. candidum extract, and not of the bacteria. Concluding

Table 2
Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations for Melastoma candidum extracts
Strain MIC (mg/ml) MBC (mg/ml)
Acetone Ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) Amoxicillin Acetone Ethanol (95 ml/100 ml)
Gram-positive bacteria
Bacillus cereus BCRC 10603 0.04 0.08 0.01 0.32 0.16
B. cereus BCRC 10250 0.04 0.04 0.003 0.32 0.64
B. cereus BCRC 10258 0.04 0.04 0.01 0.32 0.32
B. cereus BCRC 10267 0.04 0.04 0.0002 0.32 0.32
Listeria monocytogenes USDA Scott A 0.08 0.08 0.0003 1.28 5.12
Staphylococcus aureus BCRC 12653 0.08 0.32 0.04 0.32 1.28
S. aureus BCRC 12654 0.04 0.08 0.04 0.32 0.64
S. aureus BCRC 12656 0.08 0.32 0.0003 0.64 2.56
S. aureus BCRC 12657 0.02 0.04 0.0006 0.08 0.16
S. aureus BCRC 12660 0.08 0.08 0.04 0.32 1.28
S. aureus BCRC 10066 0.64 >2.56 0.08 >5.12 >5.12
Gram-negative bacteria
Escherichia coli BCRC 41443 0.32 ea 1.28 1.28 ea
Salmonella Typhimurium BCRC 12947 0.32 1.28 0.001 2.56 >5.12
Proteus vulgaris BCRC 10728 0.08 0.32 0.001 0.64 2.56
Vibrio parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.08 0.32
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 12959 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.16 0.32
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 13023 0.04 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.16
V. parahaemolyticus BCRC 13026 0.04 0.08 0.04 0.08 0.32
a
Not detectable.
 Y.-C. Wang et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798 1797

Table 3 specially the acetone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) extracts.
Effect of pH of acetone Melastoma candidum extract on the antibacterial As has been reported in the other references, it appears
activity
that the natural antimicrobial agents demonstrated a reason-
Strain MIC (mg/ml) ably good effect against most Gram-positive bacteria (Al-
Control pH 5 pH 6 pH 7 pH 8 zoreky & Nakahara, 2003; Basile et al., 2000; Campo
Gram-positive bacteria et al., 2000; Hansen, Austin, & Gill, 2001; Karaman et al.,
Bacillus cereus BCRC 10603 0.04 0.01 0.08 0.04 0.04 2003; Weseler, Saller, & Richling, 2002) However, most of
Listeria monocytogenes USDA Scott A 0.08 0.08 0.16 0.08 0.08 them demonstrated lower inhibitory effects against Gram-
Staphylococcus aureus BCRC 12657 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02
Enterococcus faecalis BCRC 10066 0.64 0.32 0.64 0.64 0.32
negative bacteria (Alzoreky & Nakahara, 2003; Hansen
et al., 2001; Weseler et al., 2002). In the results obtained
Gram-negative bacteria
from our study, all tested Gram-positive bacterial strains,
Escherichia coli BCRC 41443 0.32 0.64 0.64 0.32 0.16
Salmonella Typhimurium BCRC 12947 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 and about half of the Gram-negative bacteria strains were in-
Proteus vulgaris BCRC 10728 0.08 0.16 0.08 0.08 0.08 hibited by the water, acetone, ethanol (95 ml/100 ml), and
Vibrio parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806 0.04 ea 0.04 0.04 0.04 ethyl acetate extracts of M. candidum. Moreover, our results
a
Not detectable. also revealed substantially lower MICs and MBCs for ace-
tone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) M. candidum extracts than
the results in Table 3, no dramatic changes in the MIC values as those of authors. Over one-third of our MICs were close
a consequence to variation in pH (5e8) was noted for the ace- to or equal to amoxicillin.
tone M. candidum extract. The exhibited antibacterial activity The acetone M. candidum extract exhibited good thermal
for this extract was the highest at pH of around 7e8. stability which is an important property for a substance acting
as a food preservative. Moreover, the acetone extract revealed
4. Discussion no dramatic changes in the MIC values as a consequence of
variation in pH (5e8). Such results suggest that the acetone
M. candidum extract exhibited good bactericidal activity extract features good antibacterial activity at common food-
against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, processing pH ranges.

3.0 3.0 3.0

2.5 A 2.5 B 2.5 C
2.0 2.0 2.0
1.5 1.5 1.5
1.0 1.0 1.0
0.5 0.5 0.5
0.0 0.0 0.0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Bacterial density at OD660

3.0 3.0 3.0

2.5 D 2.5 E 2.5 F
2.0 2.0 2.0
1.5 1.5 1.5
1.0 1.0 1.0
0.5 0.5 0.5
0.0 0.0 0.0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3.0 3.0
2.5 G 2.5 H
2.0 2.0

1.5 1.5

1.0 1.0

0.5 0.5
0.0
0.0 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
pH

Fig. 1. Effect of pH on the bacterial growth of the test strains. (A) Bacillus cereus BCRC 10603, (B) Listeria monocytogenes USDA scott A, (C) Staphylococcus
aureus BCRC 12657, (D) Enterococcus faecalis BCRC 10066, (E) Escherichia coli BCRC 41443, (F) Staphylococcus Typhimurium BCRC 12947, (G) Proteus
vulgaris BCRC 10728, and (H) Vibrio parahaemolyticus BCRC 10806. Data are mean  standard deviation obtained by triplicate analyses.
1798 Y.-C. Wang et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1793e1798
5. Conclusions
In conclusion, the results of our present study revealed that
the acetone and ethanol (95 ml/100 ml) M. candidum extracts
exhibited good antibacterial activity, substantially lower MIC
and MBC values, and further, the acetone extract demon-
strated good thermal stability and quite broad antibacterial-
effective pH ranges. It would thus appear that M. candidum
extracts demonstrate good potential for acting as a natural
food preservative.
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