Assessing the Antibacterial Properties of US-Grown Dysphania ambrosioides

Presenter: Emily Margaret Mercier

Group Members: Maria Julia Borges Andrade

Faculty Sponsor: Cara Pina

School: Framingham State University

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM, Concourse, B8

ABSTRACT

Dysphania ambrosioides (epazote) is widely used in traditional medicine, having its antimicrobial properties studied worldwide, yet the phytochemical profile and antimicrobial activity of US-grown epazote against clinically relevant microbes remain uncharacterized. To fill this gap, this study investigated the antibacterial activity of the essential oil (EO), hydroethanolic crude extract, and select fractions of commercially distributed US-grown epazote against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli, alongside phytochemical profiling. GC-MS analysis revealed ascaridole, carvacrol, and thymol as the major components of the essential oil, compounds known for their antibacterial and synergistic properties. The presence of these three compounds as co-dominant components of Dysphania ambrosioides EO was not previously reported. HPLC-DAD analysis identified quercetin and rutin as the main components of the hydroethanolic crude extract and certain fractions, flavonoids that have also shown antibacterial effects previously. Overall, the results showed that the essential oil and ethyl acetate fractions were the most active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa at high concentrations, suggesting that these phytoconstituents may have contributed to antibacterial activity and warranting further investigations of these samples as possible sources of antibacterial agents.

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