ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF PALESTINIAN MALLOW, MALVA SYLVESTRIS L

Objective: To evaluate antibacterial, antioxidant activities, the existence of the major secondary metabolites, and volatile compounds in methanolic extracts from M. sylvestris leaves. Methods: Antibacterial activity was assessed using a well diffusion method. Antioxidant activity was assessed using ABTS●+and DPPH● free radical scavenging assays. Phytochemical screening for secondary metabolites and volatile compounds were done following standard techniques and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results: Methanolic extracts exhibited moderate antibacterial activity compared with the positive control against the gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae and the gram-positive bacteria’s Staphylococcus aureus by 47.2 and with 47.1% respectively. The average percentage of scavenging was 97.82±0.05 and 79.49±0.4 for ABTS•+and DPPH●, correspondingly. Total phenols were quantitatively estimated and found to be 78.9±9.55 mg GAE/g. Phytochemical screening assays revealed the presence of a wide range of phytochemical groups such as alkaloids flavonoids, phenols, tannins, quinones, saponins, steroids, tannins, terpenoides with at least sixteen volatile compounds detected in the plant. Conclusion: The present study confirmed the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of M. sylvestris and the existence of is the volatile compounds (phytol), which mediate, even partially, the antioxidant and the claimed analgesic activity of the plant.