UPLC-ESI-MS polyphenolic profiling and the antimicrobial potential of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle leaves growing in Egypt

• Published in: Journal of Research in Pharmacy 2024, Vol.28(2) (28(2)), p.516-525
• Main Authors: Raafat MOHAMED, Heba, WAKIL, Eman Ahmed EL, HASHASH, Maher Mahmoud EL, SHEMIS, Mohamed, HAMEED, El Sayed Saleh ABDEL
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimicrobial agents; Pathogens
• ISSN: 2630-6344; 2630-6344
• DOI: 10.29228/jrp.715

The need of finding out new and potent antimicrobial agents to combat the multidrug resistance pathogens becomes critical. Ailanthus altissima is characterized by its vast and remarkable therapeutic potential as a traditional folk medicine. The current study aims to investigate the polyphenolic profiling and the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of A. altissima leaves and its derived fractions. The antimicrobial activity was investigated through two in-vitro assays; agar well diffusion and broth microdilution against six pathogens while the polyphenolic profiling was characterized through UPLC-ESI-MS analysis. All the test pathogens were susceptible to the test samples except Mucor circinelloides. The zone of microbial growth inhibition of the samples was found in 10-40 mm range and the minimum inhibitory values ranged between 3.9 and 1000 μg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited significant antimicrobial potential especially against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and C. albicans where the diameters of inhibition zones were 40, 30 and 25mm, respectively and their corresponding MIC values were 3.9, 7.8 and 15.6 μg/mL, respectively. The UPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the samples revealed the tentative identification of various phenolic compounds mainly corilagin. A. altissima offers a perfect choice to be investigated as a natural and potent antimicrobial agent.