Phytochemical Screening, GC-MS Analysis, Molecular Docking and Antimicrobial Activity Evaluation of Ethanolic Extract from Nymphaea rubra

A major worldwide problem, antimicrobial resistance calls for new natural medicinal agents to be found. The ethanolic leaf extract of the traditionally used medicinal herb Nymphaea rubra is the subject of this investigation, which aims to discover bioactive components and assess their antibacterial capabilities. Based on their statistically significant peak area percentages, 17 of the 80 phytochemical substances identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) study were chosen for additional investigation. Some of the many bioactivities displayed by these chemicals include antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Proteins from Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the targets of molecular docking investigations, which showed strong binding affinities. With binding scores of -8.9 kcal/mol for S. aureus and -7.2 kcal/mol for E. coli, respectively, 10-Methoxy-nb-alpha-methylcorynantheol and Geranyl linalool isomer B were the compounds that performed the best among those that were studied. Significant inhibitory zones against E. coli and S. aureus were observed at doses of 10 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL, respectively, in the in vitro antibacterial activity evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. It was shown that for both bacterial species, the extract had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 250 µg/mL. N. rubra may contain bioactive chemicals that can fight against bacteria and viruses that are resistant to drugs, according to these results. Building on previous research into the phytochemical profile and antibacterial activity of N. rubra, this study lays the groundwork for future research into antimicrobial drugs derived from plants. There are real-world consequences, such as the possibility of developing natural antibacterial treatments to deal with public and clinical health issues. To properly appreciate N. rubra's medicinal potential, future studies should investigate in vivo validation and clinical applications.