PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA EXTRACT AND ITS POTENTIAL AS ANTI BACTERIAL GROWTH AND ANTI BIOFILM FORMATION AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLI AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance remains a significant challenge and a global threat in the treatment of infectious diseases. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria exhibit tolerance towards antibacterial agents given their ability to synthesize biofilm. Andrographis paniculata is a well-known medicinal plant with various pharmacological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of A. paniculata extract against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Various crude ethanol extract concentrations of A. paniculata were tested for their antibacterial potencies using the Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method for 24 h. Phytochemical analysis was confirmed using UV-visible spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Interactions between the bacterial cell surface and the extract were visualized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the inhibition zones ranged from 2.17±0.77 to 10.59±0.26 mm and from 6.20±0.52 to 11.67±0.12 mm for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. Moreover, all tested concentrations of A. paniculata were able to inhibit the formation of biofilm in these two strains. FTIR results indicated that the extract affected functional groups on the bacterial cell, while SEM micrographs confirmed that biofilm did not form when the bacteria were in contact with the extract. Furthermore, 57 metabolites in the extract were identified, of which palmitic acid and 9-octadecenal were the predominant phytochemical compounds. In conclusion, A. paniculata ethanol extract exhibits potential as an antibacterial agent due to its ability to control bacterial growth and biofilm formation. The higher the extract concentration used, the more potent its effect. These antibacterial activities were facilitated by the active phytochemical components.