Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Potential of Solanum surattense (Burm. f.) Against Selected Pathogenic Microorganisms

Solanum surattense Burm. f. (Solanaceae) is a traditionally used medicinal herb reported to contain diverse secondary metabolites and to exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial potential of sequential solvent extracts from Solanum surattense (Burm. f.), a plant traditionally used in ethnomedicine. Fresh, healthy whole plants were collected, identified and sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, acetone, methanol and distilled water. The highest percentage yields were obtained from the polar solvents, methanol (13.72%) and aqueous extract (10.45%). Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the methanolic and aqueous extracts contained the highest diversity of secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, saponinsand glycosides, while non-polar extracts were rich in terpenoids and steroids. The antimicrobial activity was tested against six human pathogens (S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, C. albicansand A. niger) using the agar well diffusion method. The methanolic extract exhibited the highest broad-spectrum activity, with maximum zones of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (21.3 pm 0.7 mm) and E. coli (19.4 pm 0.6 mm). Acetone and aqueous extracts showed moderate activity, while non-polar extracts were less effective. The potent antimicrobial activity is strongly correlated with the abundance of polar phytochemicals, such as phenolics and flavonoids. The study validates the traditional use of S. surattense and suggests its potential as a promising source for developing natural antimicrobial agents to combat the growing issue of drug-resistant pathogens.