Antimicrobial activity of extracts of dried kokum (Garcinia indica C)

Garcinia indica C or commonly known as Kokum and is widely distributed in coastal India. The fruit is mainly found during the summer months, and the rind of the fruit is salted and dried and preserved for use in other parts of the year when it is not available fresh. The rind possesses an important phenolic compound called as Garcinol. The importance of this compound is well known. This investigation, therefore does not aim to study this compound. There are many other compounds which are present, beside garcinol, in the fruit and this study aims to investigate the antimicrobial properties of such compounds. The compounds are furfural and its derivatives, cyanidin- 3-glucose which is present as anthocyanin in the rind and caffeine. Of all these, furfural and cyanidin -3-glucose are potent antimicrobials. The extent to which these compounds get extracted in different solvents determine the degree of bacteriocidal action.