Phytochemical Screening, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Methanolic Extract of Juniperus phoenicea Leaves

Background: As part of the valorization of Algerian medicinal flora, Juniperus phoenicea has attracted attention due to its diverse pharmacological properties. The current investigation aims to evaluate the phytochemical profile, antimicrobial potential and antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of J. phoenicea leaves. Methods: J. phoenicea’s methanolic extract was subjected to various phytochemical tests. Antimicrobial activity was tested against six conventional pathogenic bacterial strains and one fungal strain using the disc-diffusion technique. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined using the agar dilution method. Antioxidant activity was estimated by DPPH radical scavenging assay. Result: The phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract indicated the presence of many secondary metabolite categories, including tannins, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion method and the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes were shown to be the most sensitive. However, no antimicrobial activity was detected against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli or the fungal strain Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the solid medium dilution technique and the results ranged from 1.56 to 12.5 mg/mL. The DPPH scavenging capability indicated that the methanolic extract has modest antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 0.82 mg/mL.