Phytochemical Profiling and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Methanolic Extract of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) against Relevant Pathogens
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54172/zkb9v172Keywords:
Syzygium Aromaticum, Clove, Phytochemical Analysis; Antimicrobial Activity, Agar Well Diffusion, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Antimicrobial ResistanceAbstract
The growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for novel plant-derived antimicrobials. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial potential of a methanolic extract of Syzygium aromaticum (clove). Qualitative phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, anthraquinones and terpenoids. Antimicrobial efficacy was evaluated in vitro against two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), one Gram-positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus), and one fungal strain (Candida albicans) using the agar well diffusion method. The extract exhibited significant inhibitory activity, with mean inhibition zones of 22.0 ± 0.04 mm, 20.0 ± 0.07 mm, 18.0 ± 0.01 mm, and 18.0 ± 0.02 mm against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans, respectively, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined to be 6.25 mg/mL for E. coli, 12.5 mg/mL for S. aureus, and 25 mg/mL for both P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. Notably, the extract demonstrated superior activity against ampicillin-resistant E. coli compared to the standard antibiotic. These findings provide a robust phytochemical-activity correlation and demonstrate that the methanolic extract of S. aromaticum possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, highlighting its potential as a source of natural antimicrobial leads.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmed Ali Mustafa, Ahmed Saeed Kabbashi, Ahlam Mohamed Keshar, Amel Mahmoud Abdrabo, Wahaj M. Mohammed, Ahmed A. Elshikh (Author)
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