The antimicrobial capacity of Cistus salviifolius and Punica granatum plant extracts against clinical pathogens is related to their polyphenolic composition

Screening of Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Cytotoxic Activities of Some Medicinal Plants from Balıkesir Province, Türkiye: Potential Effects of Allium paniculatum Flower

Objectives

Plant extracts are important natural resources that may have antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against pathogens. This study was conducted to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of methanol extracts of some medicinal plants (Achillea nobilis subspecies neilreichii (A. Kern.) Velen., Aetheorhiza bulbosa (L.) Cass, Allium paniculatum L, Asphodelus aestivus Brot., Ballota nigra L., Cistus laurifolius L., Cistus salviifolius L., Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick and Wilkin, Galium verum L., Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra, Paliurus spina-christi Mill., Primula vulgaris Huds. subspecies rubra (Sm.) Arcang., Ranunculus arvensis L. and Teucrium polium L.) from Balıkesir province in Türkiye.

Materials and Methods

Preliminary antimicrobial activity screening was conducted for all extracts. Antibiofilm activity studies were conducted on mature Candida albicans biofilms. Moreover, the cytotoxicities of A. paniculatum flower extract on A549 and Vero cell lines were determined using a colorimetric tetrazolium-based assay.

Results

A. paniculatum flower, P. vulgaris root, C. laurifolius, C. salviifolius, and A. nobilis displayed good activity [minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC): 9.75, 156, 312, 312 and 312 μg/mL, respectively] against C. albicans American Type Culture Collection 10231. Biofilm studies were conducted on these plant extracts. The methanol extract of A. paniculatum flower decreased the number of C. albicans [colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL] in mature biofilm statistically at 32 x MIC and higher concentrations (p < 0.01). A. paniculatum flower extract had a cytotoxic effect (killing more than 50% of cells) at high concentrations, and its effect on Vero cells was similar to that on A549 cells.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the importance of the methanol extract of A. paniculatum flower as a natural alternative against C. albicans infections, including biofilms.

Antimicrobial Potential of Pomegranate and Lemon Extracts Alone or in Combination with Antibiotics against Pathogens

Amidst the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance as a significant health challenge, research has emerged, focusing on elucidating the antimicrobial potential of polyphenol-rich extracts to reduce reliance on antibiotics. Previous studies explored the antifungal effects of extracts as potential alternatives to conventional therapeutic strategies. We aimed to assess the antibacterial and antifungal effects of standardised pomegranate extract (PE) and lemon extract (LE) using a range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and two yeast species. Additionally, we assessed the antimicrobial activities of common antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, Imipenem, Gentamicin, and Ceftazidime), either alone or in combination with extracts, against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. PE displayed substantial antibacterial (primarily bactericidal) and antifungal effects against most pathogens, while LE exhibited antibacterial (mostly bacteriostatic) and antifungal properties to a lesser extent. When compared with antibiotics, PE showed a greater zone of inhibition (ZOI) than Ciprofloxacin and Ceftazidime (p < 0.01) and comparable ZOI to Gentamicin (p = 0.4) against Staphylococcus aureus. However, combinations of either PE or LE with antibiotics exhibited either neutral or antagonistic effects on antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These findings contribute to the existing evidence regarding the antimicrobial effects of PE and LE. They add to the body of research suggesting that polyphenols exert both antagonistic and synergistic effects in antimicrobial activity. This highlights the importance of identifying optimal polyphenol concentrations that can enhance antibiotic activity and reduce antibiotic resistance. Further in vivo studies, starting with animal trials and progressing to human trials, may potentially lead to recommendation of these extracts for therapeutic use.

Harnessing the Power of Polyphenols: A New Frontier in Disease Prevention and Therapy

There are a wide variety of phytochemicals collectively known as polyphenols. Their structural diversity results in a broad range of characteristics and biological effects. Polyphenols can be found in a variety of foods and drinks, including fruits, cereals, tea, and coffee. Studies both in vitro and in vivo, as well as clinical trials, have shown that they possess potent antioxidant activities, numerous therapeutic effects, and health advantages. Dietary polyphenols have demonstrated the potential to prevent many health problems, including obesity, atherosclerosis, high blood sugar, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and neurological diseases. In this paper, the protective effects of polyphenols and the mechanisms behind them are investigated in detail, citing the most recent available literature. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on the role of polyphenols in preventing and managing chronic diseases. The cited publications are derived from in vitro, in vivo, and human-based studies and clinical trials. A more complete understanding of these naturally occurring metabolites will pave the way for the development of novel polyphenol-rich diet and drug development programs. This, in turn, provides further evidence of their health benefits.

Antibacterial and Antimycotic Activity of Epilobium angustifolium L. Extracts: A Review

The aim of this work was to provide an overview of available information on the antibacterial and antifungal properties of Epilobium angustifolium extracts. A literature search of Scopus, PubMed/Medline, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and June 2023 was undertaken. A total of 23 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. Significant variation of antimicrobial activity depending on the tested species and strains, type of extract solvent, or plant organs utilized for the extract preparation was found. E. angustifolium extracts were active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and showed antimycotic effects against the fungi of Microsporum canis and Trichophyton tonsurans and the dermatophytes Arthroderma spp. Greater susceptibility of Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria to fireweed extracts was found. A strong antibacterial effect was recorded for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii including multi-drug resistant strains. E. angustifolium extract might find practical application as an antimicrobial in wound healing, components of cosmetic products for human and animals, or as food preservatives.

Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli: Mechanisms of Infection and Treatment Options

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections that represent a severe public health problem. They are often caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumonia), Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (S. saprophyticus). Among these, uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) are the most common causative agent in both uncomplicated and complicated UTIs. The adaptive evolution of UPEC has been observed in several ways, including changes in colonization, attachment, invasion, and intracellular replication to invade the urothelium and survive intracellularly. While antibiotic therapy has historically been very successful in controlling UTIs, high recurrence rates and increasing antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens threaten to greatly reduce the efficacy of these treatments. Furthermore, the gradual global emergence of multidrug-resistant UPEC has highlighted the need to further explore its pathogenesis and seek alternative therapeutic and preventative strategies. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the clinical status and pathogenesis of UTIs and the advantages and disadvantages of antibiotics as a conventional treatment option could spark a surge in the search for alternative treatment options, especially vaccines and medicinal plants. Such options targeting multiple pathogenic mechanisms of UPEC are expected to be a focus of UTI management in the future to help combat antibiotic resistance.

Ellagitannin Punicalagin Disrupts the Pathways Related to Bacterial Growth and Affects Multiple Pattern Recognition Receptor Signaling by Acting as a Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor

Punicalagin (PA) is a key ellagitannin abundant in pomegranate with wide-ranging biological activities. In this study, we examined the biological processes by which PA regulates bacterial growth and inflammation in human cells using multiomics and molecular docking approaches. PA promoted macrophage-mediated bacterial killing and inhibited the growth of Citrobacter rodentium by inducing a distinct metabolome pattern. PA acted as a selective regulator of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and affected 37 pathways in macrophages, including signaling mediated by pattern recognition receptors, such as Toll-like and NOD-like receptors. In silico simulation showed that PA can bind with high affinity to HDAC7. PA downregulated HDAC7 at both mRNA and protein levels and resulted in a decrease in the level of histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation. Our findings provide evidence that PA exerts its biological effects via multiple pathways, which can be exploited in the development of this bioactive food ingredient for disease management.

Efficacy of Two Moroccan Cistus Species Extracts against Acne Vulgaris: Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Activities

BACKGROUND

The genus Cistus L. (Cistaceae) includes several medicinal plants growing wild in the Moroccan area. Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic skin disorder treated with topical and systemic therapies that often lead to several side effects in addition to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Our study aimed to investigate the bioactivity of extracts of two Moroccan Cistus species, Cistus laurifolius L. and Cistus salviifolius L., in view of their use as potential coadjuvants in the treatment of mild acne vulgaris.

METHODS

Targeted phytochemical profiles obtained by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI/MS analyses and biological activities ascertained by several antioxidants in vitro chemical and cell-based assays of the leaf extracts. Moreover, antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans was evaluated.

RESULTS

Analyses revealed the presence of several polyphenols in the studied extracts, mainly flavonoids and tannins. Cistus laurifolius L. and Cistus salviifolius L. possessed good biological properties and all extracts showed antibacterial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and Propionibacterium acnes, identified as the main acne-causing bacteria.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that examined extracts are promising agents worthy of further studies to develop coadjuvants/natural remedies for mild acne treatment.

Phytochemical-Based Nanomaterials against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: An Updated Review

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) is a growing global health threat, leading to the search for alternative strategies to combat bacterial infections. Phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, have shown potential as antimicrobial agents; however, therapy with these agents has certain limitations. The use of nanotechnology combined with antibacterial phytochemicals could help achieve greater antibacterial capacity against ARB by providing improved mechanical, physicochemical, biopharmaceutical, bioavailability, morphological or release properties. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the current state of research on the use of phytochemical-based nanomaterials for the treatment against ARB, with a special focus on polymeric nanofibers and nanoparticles. The review discusses the various types of phytochemicals that have been incorporated into different nanomaterials, the methods used to synthesize these materials, and the results of studies evaluating their antimicrobial activity. The challenges and limitations of using phytochemical-based nanomaterials, as well as future directions for research in this field, are also considered here. Overall, this review highlights the potential of phytochemical-based nanomaterials as a promising strategy for the treatment against ARB, but also stresses the need for further studies to fully understand their mechanisms of action and optimize their use in clinical settings.

Recent Advances in Using Natural Antibacterial Additives in Bioactive Wound Dressings

Wound care is a global health issue with a financial burden of up to US $96.8 billion annually in the USA alone. Chronic non-healing wounds which show delayed and incomplete healing are especially problematic. Although there are more than 3000 dressing types in the wound management market, new developments in more efficient wound dressings will require innovative approaches such as embedding antibacterial additives into wound-dressing materials. The lack of novel antibacterial agents and the misuse of current antibiotics have caused an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which is estimated to cause 10 million deaths by 2050 worldwide. These ongoing challenges clearly indicate an urgent need for developing new antibacterial additives in wound dressings targeting microbial pathogens. Natural products and their derivatives have long been a significant source of pharmaceuticals against AMR. Scrutinising the data of newly approved drugs has identified plants as one of the biggest and most important sources in the development of novel antibacterial drugs. Some of the plant-based antibacterial additives, such as essential oils and plant extracts, have been previously used in wound dressings; however, there is another source of plant-derived antibacterial additives, i.e., those produced by symbiotic endophytic fungi, that show great potential in wound dressing applications. Endophytes represent a novel, natural, and sustainable source of bioactive compounds for therapeutic applications, including as efficient antibacterial additives for chronic wound dressings. This review examines and appraises recent developments in bioactive wound dressings that incorporate natural products as antibacterial agents as well as advances in endophyte research that show great potential in treating chronic wounds.

Artificial Intelligence Applied to Improve Scientific Reviews: The Antibacterial Activity of Cistus Plants as Proof of Concept

Reviews have traditionally been based on extensive searches of the available bibliography on the topic of interest. However, this approach is frequently influenced by the authors' background, leading to possible selection bias. Artificial intelligence applied to natural language processing (NLP) is a powerful tool that can be used for systematic reviews by speeding up the process and providing more objective results, but its use in scientific literature reviews is still scarce. This manuscript addresses this challenge by developing a reproducible tool that can be used to develop objective reviews on almost every topic. This tool has been used to review the antibacterial activity of Cistus genus plant extracts as proof of concept, providing a comprehensive and objective state of the art on this topic based on the analysis of 1601 research manuscripts and 136 patents. Data were processed using a publicly available Jupyter Notebook in Google Collaboratory here. NLP, when applied to the study of antibacterial activity of Cistus plants, is able to recover the main scientific manuscripts and patents related to the topic, avoiding any biases. The NLP-assisted literature review reveals that C. creticus and C. monspeliensis are the first and second most studied Cistus species respectively. Leaves and fruits are the most commonly used plant parts and methanol, followed by butanol and water, the most widely used solvents to prepare plant extracts. Furthermore, Staphylococcus. aureus followed by Bacillus. cereus are the most studied bacterial species, which are also the most susceptible bacteria in all studied assays. This new tool aims to change the actual paradigm of the review of scientific literature to make the process more efficient, reliable, and reproducible, according to Open Science standards.

Combination Strategies of Different Antimicrobials: An Efficient and Alternative Tool for Pathogen Inactivation

Despite the discovery and development of an array of antimicrobial agents, multidrug resistance poses a major threat to public health and progressively increases mortality. Recently, several studies have focused on developing promising solutions to overcome these problems. This has led to the development of effective alternative methods of controlling antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The use of antimicrobial agents in combination can produce synergistic effects if each drug invades a different target or signaling pathway with a different mechanism of action. Therefore, drug combinations can achieve a higher probability and selectivity of therapeutic responses than single drugs. In this systematic review, we discuss the combined effects of different antimicrobial agents, such as plant extracts, essential oils, and nanomaterials. Furthermore, we review their synergistic interactions and antimicrobial activities with the mechanism of action, toxicity, and future directions of different antimicrobial agents in combination. Upon combination at an optimum synergistic ratio, two or more drugs can have a significantly enhanced therapeutic effect at lower concentrations. Hence, using drug combinations could be a new, simple, and effective alternative to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance and reduce susceptibility.

Interactions between Medical Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Focus on Antimicrobial Combination Effects

It is accepted that the medicinal use of complex mixtures of plant-derived bioactive compounds is more effective than purified bioactive compounds due to beneficial combination interactions. However, synergy and antagonism are very difficult to study in a meticulous fashion since most established methods were designed to reduce the complexity of mixtures and identify single bioactive compounds. This study represents a critical review of the current scientific literature on the combined effects of plant-derived extracts/bioactive compounds. A particular emphasis is provided on the identification of antimicrobial synergistic or antagonistic combinations using recent metabolomics methods and elucidation of approaches identifying potential mechanisms that underlie their interactions. Proven examples of synergistic/antagonistic antimicrobial activity of bioactive compounds are also discussed. The focus is also put on the current challenges, difficulties, and problems that need to be overcome and future perspectives surrounding combination effects. The utilization of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant extracts as appropriate antimicrobials is important and needs to be facilitated by means of new metabolomics technologies to discover the most effective combinations among them. Understanding the nature of the interactions between medicinal plant-derived bioactive compounds will result in the development of new combination antimicrobial therapies.

Hydroalcoholic Leaf Extract of Punica granatum, alone and in Combination with Calcium Hydroxide, Is Effective against Mono- and Polymicrobial Biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans

Failures in endodontic treatments are mostly associated with the difficulty in eradicating microbes of the root canal system, highlighting the need to develop novel effective antimicrobials. Punica granatum (pomegranate) leaf hydroalcoholic extract may be a potential alternative in canal dressing, owing to its antimicrobial properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Punica granatum (HEPg) alone or in combination with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans in isolation and in mono- and polymicrobial biofilms. Microdilution tests in broth and assays for inhibition of biofilm formation were carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of HEPg and HEPg + Ca(OH)₂ against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. The cytotoxicity of HEPg in HaCaT cells was evaluated by MTT assay. HEPg and HEPg + Ca(OH)₂ exerted significant antimicrobial activity against planktonic cells and mono- and polymicrobial biofilms. The combination of Punica granatum extract with Ca(OH)₂ appears to be a promising alternative in endodontic treatments, which could be tested in vivo to confirm the efficacy of this mixture in disinfecting root canal systems.

Antibacterial activity of medicinal plants against uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections with uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) being the most prevalent causative agent in both complicated and uncomplicated UTIs. Antibiotic resistance among UPEC has been already demonstrated against a wide variety of antibiotics and the situation is continuing to deteriorate increasing the rate of recurrence and the difficulty of treatment and prophylaxis. Recently, a big attention has been paid to non-antibiotic approaches as an alternative to conventional antibiotics. Among many strategies, phytotherapy has gained a special attention worldwide. Herbal remedies have been used in traditional medicine since ancient times and they are well known for their effectiveness in treating many health conditions including UTIs. Researches are conducted continuously to validate the use of many medicinal plants against UPEC, investigate their mechanisms of action, and determine their active constituents. Our extensive review of the recent literature revealed that many phytochemicals are shown to target and inhibit a wide variety of bioprocesses in UPEC, such as adhesion, motility, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing. Such natural approaches are very promising in confronting the antibiotic resistance of UPEC and can be further used to develop plant-based strategies and pharmaceutical products to treat and prevent UTIs caused by UPEC.

Antimicrobial Activity of Polyphenols and Natural Polyphenolic Extracts on Clinical Isolates

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global problem that affects people, animals, the environment, and the economy. Many clinically relevant bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, and this fact is emerging as one of the major threats to public health. The lack of new antibiotics, which is due to their time-consuming and costly development, exacerbates the problem. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new antimicrobial agents to treat bacterial and fungal infections. Plant extracts, which are valuable sources of bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenols, play an important role as a new strategy to combat pathogenic microorganisms. There is an extensive body of supporting evidence for the potent antibacterial and antifungal activities of polyphenols. Furthermore, some polyphenols show a synergistic effect when combined with antibiotics and antifungals, suggesting a promising alternative for therapeutic strategies against antibiotic resistance. However, only a few articles are found when searching the antibacterial or antifungal activities of polyphenols employing clinical isolates. Hence, this review focuses on the antimicrobial activity of polyphenols and extracts rich in polyphenols on clinical isolates, organized according to the World Health Organization priority pathogens classification.

Analgesic potency of intrathecally administered punicalagin in rat neuropathic and inflammatory pain models

Punicalagin, a natural polyphenolic compound classified as an ellagitannin, is a major ingredient of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). Punicalagin has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Although the antinociceptive effects of orally administered pomegranate extracts have been reported, little is known about the effect of punicalagin on nociceptive transmission in the central nervous system. We examined whether punicalagin ameliorates neuropathic pain and inflammatory pain in the spinal cord. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, and an intrathecal catheter was implanted for drug administration. The electronic von Frey test and cold-plate test were performed in CCI rats to evaluate mechanical and cold hyperalgesia in neuropathic pain, and the formalin test was performed in normal rats to evaluate acute and persistent inflammatory pain. An open-field test was conducted to explore whether punicalagin affects locomotor activity in CCI rats. Punicalagin administered intrathecally attenuated mechanical and cold hyperalgesia to the same degree as gabapentin in CCI rats and reduced pain-related behaviors in both the early and late phases in formalin-injected rats. Punicalagin did not affect motor function. These results suggest that punicalagin exerts an antinociceptive effect in the spinal cord without motor deficit, thus showing therapeutic potential for neuropathic pain and inflammatory pain.

Antibacterial plant compounds, extracts and essential oils: An updated review on their effects and putative mechanisms of action

BACKGROUND

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a global health threat. Traditional antibiotics can lose their effectiveness, and the development of novel effective antimicrobials has become a priority in recent years. In this area, plants represent an invaluable source of antimicrobial compounds with vast therapeutic potential.

PURPOSE

To review the full possible spectrum of plant antimicrobial agents (plant compounds, extracts and essential oils) discovered from 2016 to 2021 and their potential to decrease bacterial resistance. Their activities against bacteria, with special emphasis on multidrug resistant bacteria, mechanisms of action, possible combinations with traditional antibiotics, roles in current medicine and future perspectives are discussed.

METHODS

Studies focusing on the antimicrobial activity of compounds of plant origin and their mechanism of action against bacteria were identified and summarized, including contributions from January 2016 until January 2021. Articles were extracted from the Medline database using PubMed search engine with relevant keywords and operators.

RESULTS

The search yielded 11,689 articles from 149 countries, of which 101 articles were included in this review. Reports from 41 phytochemicals belonging to 20 families were included. Reports from plant extracts and essential oils from 39 plant species belonging to 17 families were also included. Polyphenols and terpenes were the most active phytochemicals studied, either alone or as a part of plant extracts or essential oils. Plasma membrane disruption was the most common mechanism of antimicrobial action. Number and position of phenolic hydroxyl groups, double bonds, delocalized electrons and conjugation with sugars in the case of flavonoids seemed to be crucial for antimicrobial capacity. Combinations of phytochemicals with beta-lactam antibiotics were the most studied, and the inhibition of efflux pumps was the most common synergistic mechanism.

CONCLUSION

In recent years, terpenes, flavones, flavonols and some alkaloids and phenylpropanoids, either isolated or as a part of extracts, have shown promising antimicrobial activity, being membrane disruption their most common mechanism. However, their utilization as appropriate antimicrobials need to be boosted by means of new omics technologies and network pharmacology to find the most effective combinations among them or in combination with antibiotics.

Review on the Antibacterial Mechanism of Plant-Derived Compounds against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria (MDR)

Microbial resistance has progressed rapidly and is becoming the leading cause of death globally. The spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has been a significant threat to the successful therapy against microbial infections. Scientists have become more concerned about the possibility of a return to the pre-antibiotic era. Thus, searching for alternatives to fight microorganisms has become a necessity. Some bacteria are naturally resistant to antibiotics, while others acquire resistance mainly by the misuse of antibiotics and the emergence of new resistant variants through mutation. Since ancient times, plants represent the leading source of drugs and alternative medicine for fighting against diseases. Plants are rich sources of valuable secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, quinones, tannins, terpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Many studies focus on plant secondary metabolites as a potential source for antibiotic discovery. They have the required structural properties and can act by different mechanisms. This review analyses the antibiotic resistance strategies produced by multidrug-resistant bacteria and explores the phytochemicals from different classes with documented antimicrobial action against resistant bacteria, either alone or in combination with traditional antibiotics.

A Comprehensive Study of the Antibacterial Activity of Bioactive Juice and Extracts from Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peels and Seeds

Due to the growing awareness of Punica granatum fruit’s health-promoting properties, the pomegranate is increasingly used for food purposes. This results in the formation of biological waste products such as peels. A biowaste circular bioeconomy strategy holds great prospective for a sustainable economy. Therefore, a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of disposing of waste (e.g., use of biowaste to obtain high-value components (e.g., punicalagins, enzymes)) is crucial for the protection of the environment and human health. In the presented study, the content of total phenols and proanthocyanidins in ten samples of Punica granatum fruit (juice, aqueous (H₂O) and ethanolic (EtOH) extracts of peels and seeds) was determined. Peel extracts were found to be the richest in the content of secondary metabolites and showed extremely high antioxidant potential (approximately 90% inhibition: DPPH radical scavenging activity). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comparative study to determine the enzymatic activity of α-amylase, lipase, peroxidase, protease, and transglutaminase in different P. granatum samples. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficacy of all P. granatum samples was qualitatively determined against three strains of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and three strains of Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes) bacteria, susceptible to gaining antibiotic resistance. Moreover, the most promising peel extracts were quantified for antibacterial efficacy against tested bacteria at five different concentrations. All samples slowed down and inhibited the growth of all tested bacteria. MIC₉₀ values (2.7 or 0.3 mg/mL) were determined in 18 out of 24 experiments (four samples, six bacteria tested). There is no research in the reviewed literature that is current with such detailed and comprehensive determination of P. granatum peel extracts antibacterial activity. The results of the research showed great potential for the use of P. granatum in the field of antibacterial activity in biomedicine applications and in the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries.