DNA BARCODING, PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF WILD PLANTS WITH POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PROPERTIES FROM UGWUOMU-NIKE FOREST IN ENUGU STATE
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The prospect of using plants for medicinal purpose has been documented butmany wild species remain scientifically unverified. Plant traditional medicinestill serves as the backbone of health-care for many people, particularly those in developing nations. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and antibacterial potential activities of three medicinal plant(Olax pentandra, Abrus precatorius and Alchornea cordifolia)collected from Ugwuomu-Nike forest in Enugu state, Nigeria. The collected plants samples were identified using the morphological parameters and was verified using the DNA barcoding rbcl gene marker. The amplicons were further sequenced and analyzed which led to the identifications of these plant samples. The plant samples was subjected to phytochemical analysis to identify its composition and theantibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. The DNA barcoding analysis supported the result of the morphological identification analysis strengthening the accuracy of the plant identification. Also, the results of the phytochemical analysis revealed that Alchornea cordifoliahad the highest on alkaloid content (5.71%) and saponin content (4.31%) while Olax pentandrahad high flavonoid content (21.89%) and terpenoid content (1.70%). Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity result showed thatOlax pentandra exhibited the highest potency against Salmonella spp, achieving a 24 mm inhibition zone at 200 mg/ml, while Abrus precatorius had the strongest effect on Escherichia coli with 12 mm zone. Also, Alchornea cordifolia showed a uniform 24 mm inhibition zone with Salmonella at all tested concentrations. These findings not only validate the ethnobotanical relevance of these species but also emphasize their potential as source of natural antimicrobial agents. The combination of DNA barcoding, phytochemical profiling and antibacterial analysis offers comprehensive approach for the identification and characterization of medicinal plant resource.
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