Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Effect of Methanol Extracts of Suaeda aegyptiaca Leaves on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The screening of plant extracts for natural products and antimicrobial activity has revealed the potential of higher plants as a source of new anti-infective agents. In the current study, the antibacterial activity of methanol extract of Suaeda aegyptiaca leaves was tested against four bacteria species: two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The Well diffusion method was used to assess the antibacterial activity of the plant extract. The results showed that the methanolic extract of Suaeda aegyptiaca leaves was more effective against Gram-positive bacteria, with an inhibition rate of 18.28 mm, as measured by the spectrum of antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis bacteria, where the zone of inhibition ranged between (24.7- 12.7) mm and (20- 13.3) mm against S. aureus, when compared to Gram-negative bacteria with a mean inhibition rate of 14.28 mm and indicated by zones of inhibition ranging between (18.7 and 11.3 mm) against E. coli and (16.3-9.3 mm) against P. aeruginosa at concentrations of 10%-2.5% since the mean of inhibition increases with increasing concentration of the extract. This suggests that this plant extract could be used for the treatment of a variety of diseases caused by these pathogens. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, sterols/terpenes, and tannins in the leaf was validated by phytochemical screening, confirming the potential good source of antibacterial agents with the highest sensitivity observed. This indicates that this plant extract could be used for the treatment of numerous diseases.