Cowpea: Promising Antimicrobial Potential

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), in addition to being a legume with high nutritional value, has stood out for its bioactive potential, especially for its antimicrobial properties. These characteristics are attributed, largely, to the presence of phenolic compounds. Faced with the increase in food pathogens' resistance to conventional control methods, researchers have been seeking natural alternatives. The study aimed to analyze the antibacterial activity of extracts from different plant parts—grains, leaves, and pods—of five cowpea varieties, through the determination of minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations against pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. The extracts were obtained with an ethanol:water solution (50:50), subjected to agitation, sonication, centrifugation, and subsequent lyophilization. The results showed that the phenolic compound content varies significantly among plant parts. The pods presented the highest levels, with values between 405.9 ...