Potencial antimicrobiano del extracto fluido de <i>Vaccinium floribundum</i> frente a <i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i> causante de infecciones de vías urinarias, Antimicrobial potential of <i>Vaccinium floribundum</i> extract fluid against <i>Staphylococcus saprophyticus</i> causing urinary tract infections

<jats:p>Vaccinium floribundum, belonging to the Ericaceae family, was evaluated for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties due to its high anthocyanin content. The objective of this study was to determine the content of anthocyanins present in the fluid extract of V. floribundum, as well as to evaluate its antimicrobial activity in the prevention of UTIs, establishing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus saprophyticus ATCC 15305, a causative agent of urinary tract infections. The study was conducted at the Life Sciences Laboratories of the Salesian Polytechnic University, beginning with the preparation of 20 % and 50 % ethanolic extracts from fruits harvested in the Province of Cotopaxi, Sigchos Canton; the assays were performed in vitro. The concentration of total phenols was quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, yielding 537.26 mg AG/100 mL for the 20 % extract and 621.04 mg AG/100 mL for the 50 % extract. In the quantification of total anthocyanins, 11.6391 mg/L was obtained for the 20 % extract and 43.63 mg/L for the 50 % extract, respectively. Subsequently, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the percentage of inhibition were evaluated for the extracts against S. saprophyticus; the MIC was 390.63 μg/mL for both extracts, with 88.42 % inhibition for the 20 % extract and 88.44 % for the 50 % extract. Using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), the retention factors (Rf ) were 0.42 (cyanidin 3-O-glucoside), 0.62 (malvidin), and 0.86 (cyanidin). In conclusion, the 20 % and 50 % ethanolic extracts of V. floribundum exhibit antimicrobial activity against S. saprophyticus.</jats:p>