The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the methanolic extract from Cocos nucifera mesocarp

The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract prepared from different stages of Cocos nucifera L. mesocarp was demonstrated, by DPPH, FRAP and deoxyribose assays, and suggests the potential of the mesocarp extract to be used for therapeutic purposes. Antimicrobial activity of the crude mesocarp extract was tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 441, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7925. The extract exhibits a potent anti-staphylococcal activity. Probable compounds responsible for the bioactivity were identified by means of HPLC and UV/ESI–MS spectroscopic analyses. Their structures were deduced as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid), dicaffeoylquinic acid and three tentative isomers of caffeoylshikimic acid.