Phytochemical screening of some medicinal plants and antibacterial activity against bacteria isolated from clinical specimens - Dhamar City – Yemen

Abstract

Medicinal plants continue to play an important role in traditional healthcare systems, particularly in regions where access to modern medicine is limited. Many of these plants are known to contain bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity of aqueous extracts from Solanum incanum (leaves and fruits), Dodonaea viscosa (leaves), and Argemone mexicana (leaves) against selected bacterial pathogens isolated from clinical specimens in Dhamar City, Yemen. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods to detect major secondary metabolites, while antibacterial activity was evaluated using the agar well diffusion technique. The tested bacterial species included Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp., and Salmonella spp. The screening results revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, and glycosides, although their distribution varied among the extracts. Alkaloids, phenols, and tannins were consistently detected in all tested samples. Among the evaluated extracts, the aqueous fruit extract of S. incanum showed the strongest antibacterial activity, particularly at a concentration of 100 mg/mL. The largest zones of inhibition were observed against E. coli (22 ± 1.6 mm), followed by Salmonella spp. (18.6 ± 1.7 mm), Klebsiella spp. (17.7 ± 1.2 mm), and S. aureus (15 ± 0.8 mm). Overall, the findings highlight the antibacterial potential of S. incanum, especially its fruit extract, and support its traditional use as a medicinal plant. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterize the active compounds and to evaluate their potential as alternative antimicrobial agents.

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