PHYSICOCHEMIC ALANALYSIS, PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ARTEMISIA LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST SELECTED GRAM-NEGATIVEBACTERIA.

ABSTRACTS The five organic solvent extracts of Artemisia were screened for potential antimicrobial activiry against two microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella, as well as clinically significant standard reference bacterial strains. Artemisia, commonly known as mugwort and wormwood, comprises a diverse assemblage of over 400 specles found on every continent except Antarctica and in every state of the United States. Various parts of Artemisia species have been employed in traditional hrerbal medicine and may provide valuable insights for future applications in the control of plant pathogens, as well as in clinical treatments as natural antimicrobial agents. The aim of the study is to determine the physicochemical properties, phytochemical content, Intibacterial activity against selected Gram-negative bacteria, and to ascertain the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Artemisia leaf extract. The antibacterial activity of these extracts against Salmonella and Escherichia coli was investigated using the agar disk diffusion method. The MIC of the plant extracts was determined using the two-fold agar dilution method, with values ranging from 100 to 6.25%. Phytochemical screening was conducted to identify the principal phytochemical compounds in Artemisia. AI extracts inhibited the growth of the tested Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating higher inhibitory activity against Salmonella and Escherichia coli, with a low MIC of 12s Through phytochemical screening, the extracts were assessed for major derivatives of g lycosides, cardenolides, steroids, flavonoids, and carotenoids. In conclusion, Artemisia is an aromatic medicinal plant that has been utilised in traditional medicine since ancient times, particularly for its antimicrobial and antimalarial properties. Studies have indicated that Artemisia leaf extracts contain phytochemicals such as saponins, tannins, flavonoids, and glycosides, each exhibiting various bioactivities. Javid et al. demonstrated in their study that this plant has potential as a source of therapeutic compounds to combat bacterial diseases in humans.