Preliminary phytochemical, antibacterial and cytotoxic screening of Baliospermum solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh extracts

Abstract Background Baliospermum solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh is a medicinal plant belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae and has long been used in Southeast Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, including inflammatory disorders and infections. Despite its traditional use, scientific evidence supporting its antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antibacterial activity, and cytotoxic potential of B. solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh extracts prepared using different ethanol concentrations. Methods Crude extracts of B. solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh stems were prepared using ethanol at concentrations of 95%, 80%, and 60%, designated as BS-95, BS-80, and BS-60, respectively. Preliminary phytochemical screening was performed using standard qualitative tests. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus , and Bacillus subtilis . Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the broth microdilution method. Cytotoxic activity was assessed using the MTT assay against several human cancer and normal cell lines. Results Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids and compounds containing unsaturated lactone rings in all extracts, whereas alkaloids were not detected. The BS-95 extract showed the highest phenolic content (516.16 mg GAE/g extract), while the BS-80 extract exhibited the highest flavonoid content (481.79 mg QE/g extract). Antibacterial testing demonstrated inhibitory activity against several bacterial strains, particularly Staphylococcus aureus . The BS-80 extract showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus and B. subtilis , with MIC and MBC values of 3.13 mg/mL. Cytotoxicity was observed against both cancer and normal cell lines, with the BS-80 extract showing IC₅₀ values of 2.81–2.91 mg/mL against HT29, MCF7, and HepG2 cells Conclusion These findings demonstrate that B. solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh extracts possess antibacterial and cytotoxic activities, which may be associated with their phenolic and flavonoid constituents. The results highlight the potential of this medicinal plant as a promising source of bioactive compounds for further pharmaceutical and biomedical research.