Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial Activity, and GC-MS Characterization of Methanolic Extract of Azadirachta indica from Nuwakot, Nepal

Abstract

Azadirachta indica, known as Neem, is renowned for its diverse pharmacological properties. The present work was carried out to examine the bio-efficacy of the leaves of Azadirachta indica by examining phytochemical screening, GC-MS analysis, and antibacterial properties. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of bioactive secondary metabolites like alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, and phenolic compounds. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 30 compounds, among which 3- Oxatricyclo[20.8.0.0(7,16)triaconta-1(22),7(16),9,13,23,29-hexene, Phytol, 9,12,15-Octadecatrien- 1-ol, (Z, Z, Z), 3E,5E,7E-6-methyl-8-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)-3,5,7-octatrien-2-one, n- Hexadecanoic acid, dl-alpha,-Tocopherol, and Hexanedioic acid were found as major compounds. The antibacterial activity of the Azadirachta indica was evaluated against the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the Gram-negative bacterium Enterobacter aerogenes using the filter disc diffusion technique on the Muller Hilton Agar plate (MHA). A significant zone of inhibition of 7 mm and 11 mm was observed, indicating the extract’s efficacy against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These findings underscore the potential of Azadirachta indica from Nuwakot district Nepal, as a source of natural bioactive compounds.