In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Leaf and Bark Extracts of Ficus trimenii Using Different Solvent

Abstract

Ficus trimenii is a medicinal plant native to Sri Lanka and is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of skin infections, including rashes and eczema, wound cleansing, prevention of certain communicable diseases, and management of fractures. This study aimed to screen the phytochemical constituents and evaluate the antibacterial activity of different solvent extracts obtained from the leaves and bark of F. trimenii against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Fresh and healthy leaves and bark were collected from the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden and separately macerated with methanol, acetone, and petroleum ether for 48 hours. Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method, with cloxacillin and ciprofloxacin used as reference antibiotics for S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the microbroth dilution method. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also conducted for all extracts. All extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against both bacterial strains, except the petroleum ether bark extract, which showed no inhibition zone. The petroleum ether leaf extract demonstrated the strongest antibacterial activity, with an MIC of 1.74 mg/mL against both S. aureus and E. coli. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenols, sterols, and tannins in the leaf and bark extracts. These findings indicate that methanol, acetone, and petroleum ether extracts of F. trimenii leaves and bark possess notable in vitro antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. The results provide scientific support for the traditional medicinal use of F. trimenii and indicate the need for further in vivo studies to confirm its antibacterial potential.