Phytochemical Profiling and Antibacterial Activity of Methanol Leaf Extract of Skimmia anquetilia

Abstract

<i>Skimmia anquetilia</i> is a plant species native to the Western Himalaya region that has tremendous potential for phytochemical activities. This study aimed to identify bioactive compounds and assess the antibacterial activity of <i>S. anquetilia</i>. To determine the major bioactive chemicals in the methanol leaf extract of <i>S. anquetilia</i>, we used a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The presence of 35 distinct phytoconstituents was discovered using GC-MS, which could contribute to the therapeutic capabilities of this plant species. The most predominant compound was 2R-acetoxymethyl-1,3,3-trimethyl-4t-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-1t-cyclohexanol (23.9%). Further, the leaf extract was evaluated for antibacterial activity against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Salmonella typhi</i>, and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>. The extract showed the highest zone of inhibition against <i>E. coli</i> (19 mm) followed by <i>P. aeruginosa</i> (18 mm) and <i>K. Pneumoniae</i> (17 mm) at 160 mg mL^-1. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanol extract against the strain of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> (2 mg mL^-1) demonstrated significant antibacterial activity. The findings of the present study highlight the potential of <i>S. anquetilia</i> for the development of herbal medicines for the treatment of various pathogenic infections.