Qualitative assessment of the flowering buds of Mesua ferrea Linn with special emphasize on HPTLC and universal DNA bar-coding technique and evaluation of its antimicrobial potential

Abstract

Background The study has been scientifically exploring the powder sample and extracts of flowering buds of Mesua ferrea Linn (FBMF) based on pharmacognostic and phytochemical parameters. The medicinal plant Mesua ferrea Linn was identified by Botanical verification and the universal DNA bar-coding technique. The FBMF powder’s quality was performed by the micromeritics properties like bulk density, tapped density, angle of repose, Hausner ratio, Carr’s index, and optical microscopy method, and physicochemical evaluations were performed by the swelling index, foaming index, loss on drying, extractive values, and ash values. The extract’s preliminary phytochemical screening was accomplished by the alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, carbohydrates, and glycoside tests. To ensure the presence of a bioactive compound of each FBMF extract by qualitative HPTLC study against the reference β-sitosterol Rf value of 0.83 was revealed at 254 nm with a developed solvent system toluene, ethyl acetate, and acetic acid (6:2:0.1) v/v. Many pharmacological benefits, including those related to wound healing, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, analgesic, sedative effects, immunomodulatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and atopic dermatitis, have been demonstrated by this phytosterol. An antimicrobial study was carried out by a well diffusion method and, lastly, measured minimum inhibitory concentration and compared to the marketed active pharmaceutical component. Numerous skin infections of more invasive, serious illnesses are caused by potential antimicrobial activity. Results The universal DNA bar-coding of plant Mesua ferrea Linn has shown a high percentage of identity. The micrometrics properties and physicochemical evaluation of the powder sample of FBMF were in an acceptable range. The preliminary phytochemical screening shows that all extracts contain steroids and carbohydrates. Moreover, flavonoids were found in ethyl acetate and ethanol, and a qualitative HPTLC study confirmed that every extract contains β-sitosterol. N-hexane extract of FBMF shows the potential antimicrobial activity with Staphylococcus aureus, and the MIC value was observed at 0.062 mg/ml. Conclusion Our research demonstrated that the plant Mesua ferrea Linn has been successfully authenticated by a DNA bar-coding technique, and all extracts of FBMF contain β-sitosterol. The n-hexane solvent extracts have shown the potential highest antimicrobial effects compared to other extracts. These results support using n-hexane extracts as a traditional medicine for treating several diseases. Graphical Abstract