Study the antibacterial properties of different parts of saffron extract and their application in cream

One way to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria is to use preservatives and antimicrobial compounds. Due to the general concerns about the side effects of chemical preservatives, there is a tendency to consume products that use natural preservatives. In this study, six parts of saffron (Petal, Stigma, Stamen, Corm, Stale, Stem) were prepared and the amount of phenolic compounds, antimicrobial properties, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of extracts against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhi) and gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) were evaluated. Also, the extract that showed the highest antimicrobial properties was selected and its effects were evaluated on the cream at 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75% (w/v) concentrations. The results showed that among the extracts of different parts of saffron, petal extract has the highest amount of phenolic compounds and antimicrobial effect. The highest effect of ethanolic extract of petal was achieved against gram positive bacteria such as B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively. The lowest amount of MIC and MBC were obtained for petals at concentration of 3.12 and 6.25 (mg / ml), respectively. In cream with 0.75% extract concentration, the total bacterial count was significantly lower than the other two concentrations. Also, the results of sensory evaluation of treated cream showed that 0.5% petal extract was chosen as the best treatment since it was rated the highest by the panelist compared to other samples. Therefore, according to the results, saffron petal extract can be considered as a valuable plant for overcoming infectious diseases and it can be used as a natural antimicrobial source in cream to replace chemical preservatives.