Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis, Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Methanol Root Extract of Rhaphiostylis beninensis (Hook.f.) Planch. [family ICACINACEAE] against Uropathogens

Abstract

In Nigeria, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are amid the most prevalent bacterial contagions, with a higher incidence rate in women. Depending on the severity of the infection, different antibiotics are used to treat UTIs. Herbal remedies have, on the other hand, been seen as the paranormal means of treating UTIs while antibiotic resistance has emerged as a problem for medics. This study examined the methanol extract of Rhaphiostylis beninensis (MRB) for its phytochemical and bioactive components, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. From the study, the methanol extract's antioxidant activities grew stronger as concentration increased. Alkaloids, saponin, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, and reducing sugar—giving the extract its pharmacological potential—were among the phytochemicals identified from the phytochemical screening. The GC-MS Chromatogram showed that there are 42 bioactive compounds in the MRB with the most prominent compounds being (Z,Z)-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid 19.96%, Lupeol 18.96%, cis-13-Octadecenoic acid 9.96%, n-Hexadecanoic acid 9.87%, 3',5'-Dimethoxyacetophenone 6.67%, 4-((1E)-3-Hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenol 3.21%, Octadecanoic acid 2.98%, Capsaicin 2.58%, α-Amyrin 2.53%, 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester 2.49%, and Vitamin E 2.45%. The MRB showed significant minimum inhibitory concentration values against Pseudomonas putida PA25T, Escherichia coli EC3AT, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA129AT and Serratia marcescens and a significant MBC value against Escherichia coli EC3AT. This study emphasizes the medicinal efficacy of R. beninensis root and indicated that the plant could make a promising candidate for the isolation of bioactive compounds that could be synthesized as medications for the treatment of bacteria in uropathogenic disorders.