Evaluation of the Antibacterial Potential of Salvia hispanica (Chia Seeds) Against Selected Bacteria

Medicinal plants have long been explored for their therapeutic potential, especially in the search for new antimicrobial agents to address rising antibiotic resistance. Salvia hispanica (chia seeds) has attracted scientific interest due to its rich bioactive profile and associated health benefits. This study investigates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic seed extracts. Antibacterial effects were evaluated using the agar well diffusion method against six bacterial isolates: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, terpenoids, steroids and cardiac glycosides, with higher concentrations generally observed in the ethanolic extract. The ethanolic extract demonstrated stronger antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 16.2 to 22.8 mm and Staphylococcus aureus being most susceptible. The aqueous extract showed weaker effects, with no activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa at lower concentrations. Minimum inhibitory concentration values for the ethanolic extract were as low as 6.25 mg/mL, while the aqueous extract ranged up to 50 mg/mL. Minimum bactericidal concentration results indicated bactericidal activity of the ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Overall, ethanolic extracts showed greater antimicrobial effectiveness.