Phytochemical profile and antibacterial activity of secondary metabolites from Speranskia tuberculata (Bunge) Baill

Abstract

The work studies the phytochemical composition and secondary metabolites from Speranskia tuberculata (Bunge) Baill. The plant extracts were obtained using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water, and the efficiency of the extractants was compared. Based on these results, a medicinal product in the form of a cream enriched with a biologically active plant’s extract was developed together with the assessment of its stability, antibacterial activity, and biological safety. QTOF-LC/MS analysis revealed the most intense peaks of secondary metabolites, among which phenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenoids and alkaloids dominate. Conventional spectrophotometric methods determined the total compound content in each studied class. The chemical compatibility of the selected extract with cream base components was assessed using FTIR spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli and Propionibacterium acnes was determined by the diameter of the inhibition zones. The most effective extractant was ethyl acetate. FTIR analysis confirmed the absence of undesirable chemical relations between the extract and the cream base. Microbiological tests showed dose-dependent antibacterial activity, with the most pronounced effect against Staphylococcus aureus . The developed cream is stable and biocompatible, complies with biological safety principles, and is promising for prophylactic and therapeutic use in dermatology due to its combination of antibacterial and regenerative properties.