Comparative Antibacterial Activity of Chelidonium majus L. Extracts from Different Plant Organs and Geographical Origins

Mohammadian, Maryam; Ghasemnezhad, Azim; Rahnama, Kamran; Khoshhalsarmast, Mostafa

doi:10.22034/jmpb.2027.372387.2162

Comparative Antibacterial Activity of Chelidonium majus L. Extracts from Different Plant Organs and Geographical Origins

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Horticultural Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

10.22034/jmpb.2027.372387.2162

Abstract

Growing concerns about food safety and the limitations of chemical preservatives have increased interest in natural antimicrobial sources. This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of root and leaf extracts from Chelidonium majus L. (greater celandine), collected from various regions in northern Iran, against three major foodborne pathogens: Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Methanol was used for extraction, and antibacterial activity was assessed by the agar well diffusion method within a three-factor factorial design (geographical origin × plant organ × bacterial species). Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. Results showed significant main effects of plant organ, geographical source, and bacterial species on inhibition-zone diameters. Specifically, root extracts were more effective than leaf extracts, exhibiting the strongest inhibition against Gram-positive bacteria (L. monocytogenes and S. aureus). S. aureus consistently far more sensitive than L. monocytogenes, phytochemical analysis revealed a significant influence of geographical origin (genotype) on total alkaloid and total phenol contents of the extracts. A strong positive correlation was observed between total alkaloid content (notably in samples from the Kordkuy and Noor regions) and inhibitory potency against Gram-positive bacteria, whereas the correlation with total phenols was weaker. These findings suggest that alkaloids play a primary role in the antibacterial activity of celandine extracts, with phenolic compounds contributing through potential synergistic effects. Furthermore, the relative resistance of E. coli underscores the role of outer membrane structure in Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, the results highlight the impact of genetic and geographical diversity on the phytochemical profile and, consequently, the antibacterial efficacy of plant extracts as potential natural agents in food safety applications.

Keywords