Antibacterial Activity of Coptis Rhizome Extracts Against Micrococcus luteus Using Different Extraction Methods

Abstract

Coptis rhizome (Huang Lian) is the dried underground stem part of a plant called Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread), known to contain bioactive compounds with antibacterial potential, particularly berberine. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of Coptis rhizome extracts against Micrococcus luteus, a gram-positive bacterium that can cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals. Three extraction methods including aqueous, ethanol, and enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), were evaluated to identify the approach with the strongest antibacterial activity. Based on the results obtained, aqueous extraction demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against M. luteus among the three methods tested. This indicates that aqueous extraction is the most effective method for extracting antibacterial compounds from Coptis rhizome under the conditions of this study.