Bioactive compounds and Antimicrobial Investigation of Assyrian Plum (Cordia myxa L.)

Assyrian plum or Lasura (Cordia myxa L.) is a widely recognized as diverse traditional medicinal plant. Different parts of this species have been utilized for the treatment of various diseases. However, information about the bioactive compounds and antimicrobial properties of Assyrian plum is scarce. This study was designed to analyze bioactive compounds, such as total antioxidants, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, and saponins in 20% ethanol, methanol, acetone and aqueous extracts from different segments of Assyrian plum. The investigation revealed substantial amounts of these bioactive compounds in the studied segments, indicating the plant's potential therapeutic value. In addition, the highest amount of total protein content was found in ethanol extracts of root, fruit, leaves and stem (34.7 ± 1.08 mg/ml, 34.2 ± 1.16 mg/ml, 34.1 ± 1.12 mg/ml, 30.0 ± 0.02 mg/ml) respectively. Methanol extract of fruit exhibited the maximum quantity of total sugar (54.0 ± 0.32 mg/mL), while methanol extract of fruit displayed significantly higher levels of reducing sugar (0.159 ± 0.0004 mg/ml) compared to other parts of Assyrian plum extracts. The extracts of different parts of Assyrian plum strongly inhibited the growth of human pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, 20% extracts of different segments of Assyrian plum also successfully ceased the growth of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger. This study provides valuable information about the bioactive composition of Assyrian plum and highlights its potential as a source of natural antimicrobial agents, supporting its traditional medicinal applications.