Phytochemical Profiling and in vitro Assessment of Annona muricata L. Leaf Extracts for Antioxidant and Antibacterial Propertie

Background and Objective: Annona muricata L. is known for its rich diversity of secondary metabolites, yet limited data exist on the comparative bioactivity of its solvent-based leaf extracts. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and assess the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of acetone and methanolic leaf extracts of A. muricata. Materials and Methods: Leaf phytocompounds were extracted using acetone and methanol. Functional groups were identified through FTIR-ATR, while phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified using HPLC. Phytochemical profiling was further conducted using ESI-MS. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and FRAP assays, and antibacterial activity was assessed against four human pathogenic bacteria using the agar well diffusion method. Statistical analyses were applied to compare extract performance across assays. Results: The FTIR confirmed the presence of phenolic and carboxylic functional groups in both extracts. HPLC analysis revealed phenolic and flavonoid compounds, with coumaric acid detected at 57.95 mg/g in the acetone extract and 52.85 mg/g in the methanol extract. The ESI-MS identified Octadecane, 1-(ethenyloxy)- as the major compound in the acetone extract and Cholesta-5,7,9(11)-trien-3-ol acetate in the methanol extract. Antioxidant assays showed higher activity in the acetone extract, with a DPPH IC₅₀ value of 105.43±5.94 μg/mL. The acetone extract at 75 μg/mL exhibited the strongest antibacterial effect, producing a 9±0.04 mm inhibition zone against Salmonella typhi. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that acetone leaf extracts of A. muricata possess superior antioxidant and antibacterial activity compared to methanolic extracts. These findings support the potential application of acetone-extracted phytocompounds from A. muricata in natural antioxidant and antimicrobial formulations. Future research should explore compound isolation and mechanism-based evaluations.