Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of leaf and stem extracts of Ecbolium viride Forssk.

The rise and dissemination of drug-resistant microorganisms pose a serious threat to public health. There is an urgent need for an alternative therapeutic option, particularly those derived from traditionally used medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of leaf and stem extracts of Ecbolium viride Forssk., against human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Additionally, this study sought to investigate the phytochemical composition of these extracts using spectral analysis techniques. Soxhlet extraction was conducted using solvents of varying polarities, including ethanol, methanol, acetone, and hexane. The methanolic extract underwent phytochemical analysis via FTIR and GC-MS. Antimicrobial activity was assessed by determining the MIC and MBC/MFC using the broth dilution method. The methanolic extracts of the leaf and stem of E. viride exhibited significant inhibition against all tested microorganisms. The highest inhibition was observed against Bacillus subtilis (22.3 ± 0.15 mm), followed by Salmonella typhi (19.9 ± 0.11 mm), and Aspergillus niger (21.8 ± 0.21 mm) at a concentration of 500 μg/mL.The methanolic leaf extract demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging from 15.625 to 125 μg/mL.FTIR and GC-MS analyses confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds with broad therapeutic potential. This study highlights E. viride as a promising source for the bioactive compounds responsible for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, as evidenced by the diverse phytoconstituents identified through phytochemical analysis. This also underscores its potential applications in combating resistant microbial pathogens. Keywords: Antimicrobial, Ecbolium viride, FTIR, GC-MS, Phytochemical.