Calamintha incana Methanolic Extract: Investigation of Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities

Abstract

Calaminthaincana, a medicinal plant traditionally used for its therapeutic properties, has been investigated for its phytochemical constituents and biological activities. Through a specific LC-MS/MS analysis method, the phytochemical constituents of Calamintha incana methanolic extract have been identified and quantified. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method was used to measure the antioxidant properties. The antibacterial properties of this extract have been tested against four harmful bacteria using disc diffusion and the minimum inhibitory concentration methods. A colorimetric assay has evaluated the total phenolic and flavonoid content. The extract contained 34 compounds, with linolenic acid (11.2%) and myristic acid (10.3%) being the most abundant. Despite the low phenolic and flavonoid content, the extract exhibited antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ of 96.8 ± 0.3 μg/mL. Moreover, the extract demonstrated potent antimicrobial properties against B. cereus and S. aureus, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 11.8 and 21.5 μg/mL, respectively. These robust results underscore the potential of C. incana methanolic extract in the development of effective antibacterial agents.