Evaluation of antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of GC/MS characterized methanol leaf extract of Terminalia superba (Combretaceae, Engl. & Diels)

Abstract

Background Terminalia superba is a well-known medicinal plant used in folk medicine for the management of various diseases and swelling. Validation of its efficacy in standardized scientific models is lacking. This gap needs to be filled as a way of enhancing modern drug discovery. The aim is to evaluate the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of T. superba in known and established models. Also, to establish and possibly correlate the established activity with the phytochemicals identified using GC/MS and qualitative methods. Results The result showed a dose-dependent percentage inhibition of DPPH, HO•, and Fe3+ reducing activity. The antibacterial activity showed dose-dependent significant (p < 0.05) inhibition against all the organisms used. The anti-inflammatory activity of METS was confirmed in the carrageenan model with significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of paw volume when compared to control while significantly decreasing (p < 0.05) weight of xylene-induced ear. For instance, after 6 h, there was a reduction of 42%, 33%, and 22% for diclofenac, 200 mg, and 100 mg, respectively, as against 4% in control. The significant (p < 0.05) increase in MDA was attenuated by the treatment with METS dose dependently. Phytochemical assay and GC/MS characterization showed that alkaloids, saponins, phenols, quinone, tannins, coumarins, proteins, flavonoids, and amino acids were dominant with fatty acids accounting for 53%. Others are esters (23%), organic compounds (12%), alkanes (9%), and carboxylic acids (3%). Conclusions T. superba possesses antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties which are believed to arise from the secondary metabolites observed in the GC–MS characterization. Graphical Abstract

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the root extracts and fractions of Terminalia avicennioides Guill. and Perr.

“…In another study, ethanol extract of Terminalia ferdinandiana Exell displayed robust antibacterial action towards Bacillus cereus and MRSA (Akter et al 2019). Terminalia superba was also recently described as having robust antibacterial action towards E. coli, S. typhi, S. aureus, K. pneumonia and Streptococcus pyogenes, which was attributable to fatty acids with amphiphilic function disrupting cell wall of bacteria (Ani et al 2023).…”

“…Nair et al (2012) had reported a selective inhibition of COX-2 by the ethanol extract of T. phanerophlebia and its isolated compound β-sitosterol. Terminalia superba was also recently reported to exert anti-inflammatory effect via capric acid to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (Ani et al 2023).…”

GC-MS Profiling, Antimicrobial Activity of Annona squamosa: An In-silico and In vitro Approach

“…Identification of compounds was confirmed with the help of a database found in the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) library. 22 In vitro antimicrobial study Disc diffusion method: The antimicrobial study of n-hexane of LEAS was performed by disc diffusion method at 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/mL concentration. 23 About 100 μL of different bacterial strains were allowed to grow in 20 mL of freshly prepared agar media till they attained a desired count of nearly 108 cells per mL.…”