DefinePK

Abstract

This study investigates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial properties of aerial part extracts of Fagonia indica, a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine. Sequential extraction was performed using solvents of increasing polarity (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and water). Qualitative phytochemical screening was coupled with quantitative analyses of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as a fungal strain were tested for antimicrobial activity utilizing disk diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. Additionally, anti-biofilm potential was studied. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts yielded the highest TPC (125.7 ± 5.2 mg GAE/g) and TFC (68.4 ± 3.8 mg QE/g), correlating with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, particularly among polar extracts, which produced larger inhibition zones and lower MIC values. Importantly, despite lower overall phytochemical yield, the chloroform extract exhibited superior anti-biofilm activity, inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus (71.8%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (70.8%). These findings confirm that solvent polarity differentially influences both antimicrobial potency and anti-biofilm efficacy. Overall, this study underscores the chloroform extract of F. indica as a novel and promising source of targeted anti-biofilm agents, offering valuable insights for developing innovative, plant-based therapeutics against resistant and biofilm-associated infections.