Isolation, Structural Characterization and Bioactivities of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds from Prosopis africana Stem Bark
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2544.024Keywords:
Prosopis africana, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Hexane, EthanolAbstract
Prosopis africana, also known as African mesquite, is the only species of Prosopis indigenous to tropical Africa. It has vast social, economic, cultural, medicinal and agricultural values. In this research, the Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Prosopis africana were determined. 500g of the grounded stem bark of Prosopis africana was extracted with n-hexane and ethanol. The Antioxidant activities were evaluated using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The ethanolic extract showed greater antioxidant activity than the n-hexane extract, with IC50 values of 6.91 µg/mL and 671.81 µg/mL, respectively. Microbial activity was determined using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) method, were the two extracts inhibited the growth of tested bacterial strains; Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas campestris, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli in the ranges of 21mm,15mm,21mm,19mm for the ethanolic extract and 18mm,14mm,17mm,15mm for n-hexane extract. Purification of the bioactive compound was done using column chromatography. The structure of the compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. This lead to the Isolation and identification of a bioactive compound, namely palmitic acid. This study supported the traditional use of Prosopis africana in traditional medicine, and the results revealed that the ethanolic extract possesses stronger antioxidant and antimicrobial activity than the n-hexane extract.
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Research confirms that Prosopis africana stem bark contains structurally diverse bioactive compounds with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These findings support its traditional medicinal use, though further studies on compound isolation, mechanisms, and safety are warranted for therapeutic development.
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