Antimicrobial potential of selected arid and semi-arid plants against urinary tract infection causing pathogens through GC-MS and FTIR analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of phytoconstituents in the extracts of Convolvulus microphyllus, Acacia nilotica, Withania somnifera, Tribullus terrestris, and Citrullus colocynthis, and to test their anti-microbial activity against the most common strains causing bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). The dried powdered plant parts were extracted using five different solvents in a Soxhlet apparatus for 48 h at a temperature ranging from 60 to 80°C. These extracts were used for preliminary phytochemical and antimicrobial analyses. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) with a scan range of 450 to 4000/cm and 4/cm resolution and GC-MS analysis were carried out to analyse the samples for the presence of phytochemicals having antimicrobial activity. The methanolic extract of Tribulus terrestris was found to have the most promising antibacterial properties. The results revealed that the methanolic extract of Tribullus terrestris displayed significant antimicrobial activity against the uropathogens, especially against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Phytochemicals like steroids, glycosides and alkaloids were found in the methanolic extracts of T. terrestris. FTIR analysis and GC-MS revealed the presence of 50 compounds. We conclude that the methanolic extract of T. terrestris fruit has more potent antimicrobial activity than other extracts and standard antibiotics used in this study. In the future, additional investigation will be required to isolate the active compound, undertake toxicological investigations, and start a clinical trial.