This research elucidates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial efficacy ofXeroderris stuhlmannii stem bark extracts, validating its traditional medicinal use. Sequentialsolvent extraction yielded methanol as the most prolific solvent (3.63% w/w), suggesting ahigh concentration of polar metabolites. Phytochemical screening confirmed a diverse array ofbioactive secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, triterpenoids,saponins, tannins, and glycosides. Antimicrobial evaluation demonstrated significant, solventdependent activity, with the dichloromethane (DCM) extract exhibiting superior and broadspectrum efficacy. The DCM extract showed a maximum inhibition zone of 30 mm againstSalmonella typhi and potent activity against Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Staphylococcusaureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Gas chromatography-massspectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of this bioactive DCM extract identified 27 compounds. Themajor constituents were dibutyl phthalate (38.52%), a known antimicrobial agent; lupeol(11.29%), a triterpenoid with well-documented pharmacological properties; and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (8.53%). The high abundance of these bioactive compounds correlatesdirectly with the observed potent antimicrobial activity. These findings conclusively identifyXeroderris stuhlmannii stem bark as a rich source of natural antimicrobial compounds,supporting its ethnobotanical applications and underscoring its potential for development intonovel therapeutic agents.
Kabir et al. (Sat,) studied this question.