Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial properties of Parthenium hysterophorus

The development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens poses a significant challenge to modern medicine, necessitating the investigation of alternative antimicrobial agents from natural sources. Parthenium hysterophorus, an invasive plant species, has been traditionally used in folk medicine for its antimicrobial properties. This study aims to investigate the phytochemical composition of P. hysterophorus extracts and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacterial strains. Aqueous and methanol extract of Parthenium hysterophorusL were screened for their phytochemical constituents and its antimicrobial activity by Agar well diffusion method against pathogenic bacteria including Gram negative Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli devis, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram positive organism- Bacillus megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus. Phytochemical screening of the plant extracts was conducted to detect the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and other bioactive compounds. Results revealed the presence of potent bioactive compounds, with significant antibacterial activity observed in methanolic extract. Aqueous extract only inhibit growth of E.coli. The inhibition zones of P. hysterophorus extracts were comparable to standard antibiotic tetracycline. The findings highlight the importance of plant-based compounds in combating drug-resistant infections and pave the way for further studies on the isolation and characterization of active constituents.