Identification of anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial compounds from leaves and rhizome of Iris pseudacorus collected in Ireland bogland using chemical profiling techniques

Iris pseudacorus, a species native to Irish wetlands, was investigated for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potential as part of a broader study on bogland medicinal plants. Methanol extracts from leaves and rhizomes were chemically profiled using NMR, LC-MS, and HPTLC, leading to the identification of three bioactive compounds: syringic acid, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucoside, and liquiritigenin. HPTLC bioautography revealed that these compounds exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, with MIC values ranging from 128 to 256 μg/mL. In vitro anti-inflammatory assays using THP-1 macrophages further demonstrated significant inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) production, particularly by liquiritigenin, which showed the strongest bioactivity in both assays. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of I. pseudacorus and support its traditional use in Irish ethnobotany, offering a promising example of bioactive compound discovery from underexplored wetland flora.