Speakers - 2026

Title: Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Activity of Codonopsis clematidea

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the phytochemical and antimicrobial activity of the medicinal plant Codonopsis clematidea found in the Golain Valley of Lower Chitral, which is commonly used by indigenous communities in Pakistan to treat a number of ailments. Plant material (35 g) was extracted using 400 mL of methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus, resulting in a 23.5% extraction yield. GC-MS analysis produced 39 compounds in the methanol extract. Specifically, it was abundant in pentadecanoic acid (24%), 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one (10.05%), sym-tetramethyl (diisopropyl) disiloxane (7.56%), and phytol (7.46%), among others in lesser amounts. Other compounds included cyclopentanone, tetradecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, dihydrocoumarone, and 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, among many others, indicating the medicinal potential of the plant.

Six elements were identified: Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Na, and Zn. All elemental levels measured were below the stipulated safety limits of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), California, and the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO). The plant showed good antibacterial effects against various microbial strains using the agar well method. It was effective against Proteus mirabilis (8 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (12.5 mm), Salmonella typhi (7.5 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14 mm), Escherichia coli (7.5 mm), Bacillus subtilis (7 mm), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14 mm). There was no reaction against Streptococcus mutans (0 mm). The extract also showed a high antifungal effect against Candida albicans, with an inhibition zone of 16.5 mm. Further analysis of the synergistic action and optimal concentrations of the elements, especially to address environmental stress, should also be conducted.

Keywords: Codonopsis clematidea, Phytochemical, Antibacterial, Antifungal, GC-MS