Extraction, phytochemical screening and activity evaluation of Eichhornia crassipes leaves extracts against gram-negative and gram-positive antibiotic-resistance isolates

Abstract

It has been observed that the leaves of Eichhornia crassipes have a significant capacity to absorb water from rivers, leading to water loss and potentially blocking the flow of rivers. However, previous studies provided that the Eichhornia crassipes has biological important in the environment. The objective of this study is to isolate and identify pathogenic bacterial species from patients at AS-Shatrah Hospital, to examine the antibacterial properties of Eichhornia crassipes leaf extracts against specific pathogenic bacterial species, including Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the study seeks to investigate the metabolic activity of these pathogenic isolates in utilizing 13 different sugars and 10 amino acids. The plant leaves were collected and subjected to phytochemical examination in order to identify their individual components. The antibacterial properties of the ethanol extracts were evaluated using the Plate diffusion technique. The results suggest that ethanol extracts have a substantial effect on both bacterial and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains, particularly when compared to the antibiotic used as a control. The study's findings indicated that the ethanol extract obtained from water hyacinth exhibits significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The observed effects can be attributed to the existence of numerous biologically active constituents, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenols. Consequently, this research suggests that water hyacinth, despite being considered a causing harm aquatic herb, holds potential as an alternative source of compounds for therapeutic applications. It is employed as a means of controlling bacterial infections and minimizing the impact of infectious diseases, and reduces the consumption of antibiotics as well.