Chemical Characterization, Morphological, and Microbiological Study of Wild Papaver sp. in Syria against Enterococcus sp. Causing Sepsis in Children

Background and Objective: Enterococcus sp. is currently the leading cause of septicemia in various age groups. We focused in this study on the modern Syrian flora for globally important medicinal Papaver species, and to utilize their extracts against resistant enterococcal strains. Materials and Methods: Alkaloids were extracted from plant parts to obtain a methanolic extract and to identify the species and the most productive fraction using high-performance thin-layer chromatography techniques, as well as the antibacterial activity of Papaver sp. alkaloids against Enterococcus sp. Results: The study confirmed that poppy fruits are the primary taxonomic criterion for distinguishing the six species belonging to this genus. Fruits also have the highest and most diverse alkaloid content. The methanolic fruit extracts of the two species showed antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus sp., with inhibition ranging from 0 to 35 mm and minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 50 μg/mL using extracts from different parts of the plants. The extract showed greater efficacy against the strains isolated from adults than against the strains isolated from children. Conclusions: The Syrian flora still boasts a significant diversity of medicinal plants, including species unique to the Syrian environment, such as Papaver syriacum and P. dubium , which have a significant antibacterial effect against Enterococcus sp.