Evaluation of the Phytochemical Composition and Antibacterial Efficacy of Momordica balsamina and Luffa aegyptiaca Leaf Extracts

Article Evaluation of the Phytochemical Composition and Antibacterial Efficacy of Momordica balsamina and Luffa aegyptiaca Leaf Extracts Muhammad Shehu Giwa 1, Basira Ibrahim 1, Fatima Musa 1, and Emad M. Abdallah 2,3,* 1 Department of biological sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, College of Science, Computing and Engineering, Kaduna State University, Kaduna 800283, Nigeria 2 Department of Biology, College of Science, Qassim University, Qassim 51452, Saudi Arabia 3 Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia * Correspondence: emad100sdl@yahoo.com Received: 21 September 2024; Revised: 7 October 2024; Accepted: 2 November 2024; Published: 17 January 2025 Abstract: The current study evaluated the antibacterial activities of methanol leaf extracts from Momordica balsamina and Luffa aegyptica against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Escherichia coli. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins, while anthraquinones were absent. Both extracts demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria (S. typhi), with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) as low as 12.5 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of 25 mg/mL for M. balsamina, and MIC of 12.5 mg/mL and MBC of 50 mg/mL for L. aegyptica. These findings suggest that these plants have potential as sources of antibacterial agents, warranting further pharmaceutical investigation.