Phytochemical characterization and bioactivity evaluation of Artemisia abyssinica methanolic extract as a baseline for bioresource exploration

Abstract

The growing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and cancer has intensified interest in natural products as sources of biologically active compounds with potential pharmaceutical relevance. In this study, the phytochemical composition of the methanolic extract of Artemisia abyssinica aerial parts (MEAA) was comprehensively characterized using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and its in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and molecular docking properties were evaluated. LC–MS/MS analysis revealed a diverse profile dominated by flavonoids and phenolic compounds, including myricetin, quercetin, apigenin derivatives, hispidulin, and taxifolin, while GC–MS analysis tentatively identified several non-polar constituents, with gitoxigenin as a putative major component. MEAA exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Micrococcus luteus (inhibition zone 15 mm; MIC = 2 mg/mL) and moderate activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. The extract demonstrated weak antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay (IC50 = 268.15 µg/mL) and moderate cytotoxicity against HepG-2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells (IC50 = 59.2 µg/mL) compared with Adriamycin (IC50 = 6.9 µg/mL). Molecular docking was employed to provide supportive structural insights, suggesting that selected flavonoids, particularly myricetin, apigenin, and hispidulin, may interact favorably with DNA gyrase, epidermal growth factor receptor, and urease. Overall, this study provides an analytical and biological profile of MEAA and highlights its phytochemical richness and early-stage bioactivity, supporting its relevance for further pharmaceutical investigation as well as its potential as a natural bioresource for future applications.