DEFENSIVE POTENTIAL OF AVICENNIA MARINA AGAINST ECONOMICALLY SIGNIFICANT FUNGAL AND BACTERIAL PATHOGENS

Although Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (A. marina) has long been known to have therapeutic benefits, little is known about its bioactive compounds and anti-pathogenic properties. The purpose of this study is to examine the antioxidant components and antimicrobial potential of A. marina in order to evaluate its suitability for managing common human and fruit crop pathogens. In Sandspit, Karachi, Pakistan, fresh plant samples were gathered from the mangrove forests. Soxhlet extraction techniques were used in the lab to create ethanolic and methanolic extracts. Important secondary metabolites with antioxidant (DPPH) and nutritional qualities, such as flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, carbohydrates, and proteins, were found through phytochemical screening. The disc diffusion method was used to assess the extracts' antimicrobial activity against specific bacterial pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and fungal pathogens (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium italicum, and Rhizopus stolonifer). Efficacy was assessed by measuring the zones of inhibition. The findings showed that the tested pathogens were significantly inhibited by both ethanolic and methanolic extracts. These results imply that, despite being halophytic, A. marina has promising antimicrobial qualities that could be used to create medicinal agents for human health and as plant pest bio-control agents, potentially increasing crop yields. In order to better understand the mechanisms underlying the bioactive compounds responsible for the observed activities, future research should concentrate on quantitative phytochemical analyses, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).