Quantitative phytochemical and bioactive compound (GC-MS) profiling and antimicrobial evaluation of leaf extracts of ficus exasperata vahl.

Abstract

Medicinal plants continue to play a vital role in the search for new antimicrobial agents. Ficus exasperata Vahl. is widely used in ethnomedicine for treating infections, but detailed scientific validation of its efficacy remains limited. Leaf extracts of F. exasperata were prepared using aqueous and 70% ethanolic solvents. Phytochemical constituents were determined through standard qualitative and quantitative tests, while Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to profile compounds in the ethanolic extract. Antibacterial activity against Salmonella paratyphi, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp. was assessed by agar well diffusion. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) were obtained using microbroth dilution. The extracts contained flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, and phenols. Quantitative analysis showed saponins (41.67±1.53a μg/ml) and flavonoids (27.33±1.15b μg/ml) as the most abundant compounds. GC–MS identified 21 constituents, including imidazole, decanoic acid, and pyrrolidinone, with recognized antimicrobial activity. The ethanolic extract exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition, with maximum zones of inhibition observed at full strength. MIC values were 25.00 mg/ml for S. paratyphi, S. aureus, and Streptococcus spp., and 50.00 mg/ml for E. coli and K. pneumoniae; The findings demonstrate that F. exasperata possesses bioactive compounds with significant antimicrobial potential, validating its traditional use and suggesting prospects for developing plant-derived therapeutic agents.