GC–MS Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of Terpene-Rich Extract from Vernonia amygdalina Leaves
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2651.035Keywords:
Terpenes, GC-MS, Vernonia amygdalina, SalmonellaAbstract
Multidrug-resistant bacterial strains represent a growing global public health concern, prompting increased interest in plant-derived antibacterial agents. Vernonia amygdalina is widely used in traditional medicine and has been reported to possess antimicrobial properties; however, the antibacterial potential of its volatile terpene-rich extracts has received limited investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a volatile terpene-rich crude extract from V. amygdalina leaves against selected enteric bacteria and to characterize its phytochemical constituents using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Dried powdered leaves of V. amygdalina were extracted by maceration using ethanol followed by aqueous reconstitution containing lead acetate solution and chloroform partitioning to obtain a volatile terpene-rich crude extract. Antibacterial activity of the extract was evaluated against clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli using agar well diffusion susceptibility tests, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. Chemical profiling of the extract was performed by GC–MS analysis on an Agilent system equipped with an HP-5MS capillary column, using helium as the carrier gas. The extract exhibited concentration-dependent antibacterial activity against S. typhi, producing inhibition zones of 10.5 ± 0.7 mm, 6.5 ± 2.1 mm, and 5.5 ± 0.7 mm at 1000, 800, and 600 µg/ml, respectively, while E. coli showed no susceptibility. The MIC and MBC values against S. typhi were 800 µg/ml and 1000 µg/ml, respectively. GC–MS analysis identified 22 bioactive compounds, predominantly volatile terpenoids including farnesol, squalene, and lavandulol derivatives, that contributed to the observed antibacterial activity. These findings suggest that the volatile terpene-rich extract of V. amygdalina leaves possesses moderate antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of S. typhi but shows no activity against E. coli. This highlights the potential of these compounds as natural antibacterial agents with the possibility of optimization towards effective management of enteric bacterial infections.
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