Research Article

GC–MS Characterization of the Ethanolic Extract of (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruit Pulp and Evaluation of Its Antibacterial Activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Abstract

Background: Ceratonia siliqua contains compounds with potential antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Objective: This study aims to characterize the ethanolic extract of Ceratonia siliqua and to evaluate its DPPH radical scavenging activity and antibacterial activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Methodology: The methods included microwave assisted ethanolic extraction, GC–MS profiling and DPPH testing. Antibacterial activity was assessed using broth growth inhibition and agar well diffusion assays against S. maltophilia ATCC 13637. Results: Light brown viscous extract was obtained 18.0 % or 1.80g from 10.00g dried pulp. Some tentative GC–MS assignments indicated 1-methyl-5-fluorouracil (4.49%), a sulfur containing disulfide (3.08%),  octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (2.77%), oleic acid (2.34%) and n-hexadecanoic acid (2.02%). The DPPH scavenging ability of the extract rose from 14.63% at 25 μg/mL to 89.02% at 800 μg/mL with reported IC50 value of 132.0 μg/mL, while the estimated IC50 for ascorbic acid was 1.20 μg/mL.With a different dose range, comparator scavenging was also increased, ranging from 12.59% at 0.25 μg/mL to 92.33% at 8 μg/mL. Inhibition reached 74.00%, 81.68% and 82.17% at 64, 128 and 256 mg/mL, respectively. Growth inhibition was similar and ranged from 128 to 256 mg/mL only 0.49 percentage points apart. The small increase at the two highest concentrations indicates an apparent plateau; these measurements do not establish complete growth inhibition or bactericidal activity. Conclusion: This study represents the first approach to investigating ethanolic Ceratonia siliqua extract within a complete framework of a combined GC–MS profile and biological study.

Authors affiliation:

Adnan T. Naser (ORCID): Basrah Education Directorate, Ministry of Education, Basrah, Iraq.

How To Cite: A.T. Naser. GC–MS Characterization of the Ethanolic Extract of (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruit Pulp and Evaluation of Its Antibacterial Activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Current Research in Plant Science, 2(2):21–30, 2026. https://doi.org/10.58613/crps224