3rd Edition Of Plant Science and Molecular Biology World Conference 2026

Abstract

Medicinal plants represent a valuable reservoir of bioactive compounds with significant potential for drug discovery. This study investigated the chemical composition and the antibacterial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and anti-enzymatic properties of Pulicaria incisa (Lam.) DC. In addition, molecular docking analyses were performed to explore the interactions between the identified phytochemicals and key molecular targets involved in antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity.
Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of seventeen compounds in the aqueous extract and thirteen compounds in the methanolic extract of P. incisa. The methanolic extract showed substantially higher total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, measuring
84.80 ± 2.8 mg GAE/g and 28.30 ± 1.2 mg QE/g, respectively. Both extracts exhibited strong antibacterial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 30 to 36 µg/mL, demonstrating effectiveness comparable to that of the reference antibiotic.
Antibiofilm assays conducted using 96-well microplates indicated that both extracts significantly inhibited bacterial adhesion, with the most pronounced effect observed against Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, the methanolic extract displayed notable anti-enzymatic activity and strong antioxidant potential, as confirmed by DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays.
The experimental findings were supported by in silico molecular docking studies, which demonstrated strong binding interactions between the identified phytochemicals and relevant biological receptors. Overall, these results highlight P. incisa as a promising medicinal plant with potent antibacterial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and anti-enzymatic.