The current study was conducted to test antimicrobial activity of aqueous,
ethanol, methanol and acetone extracts of camel thorn (Alhagi pseudalhagi)
against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Clavibacter michiganensis
subsp. sepedonicus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Erwinia carotovora subsp.
atroseptica), using the agar well-diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration
was also determined. Besides, phytochemical constituents of the volatile
oil of camel thorn aerial parts were identified using gas chromatography coupled
to mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis. Data of the antibacterial assay
showed significant activity of all extracts against various bacterial strains at the
concentration of 256 mg/ml. The methanolic extract showed the highest inhibition
zone and the lowest values of minimum inhibitory concentration against all
tested bacterial strains. The lowest inhibition zone and comparatively greater
minimum inhibitory concentration was induced by the aqueous extract. Ethanol
and acetone extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity against all tested bacterial
strains. Chromatographic analysis revealed the identification of 66 phytocompounds
most of which have been previously reported to possess antimicrobial,
antitumor, antiseptic, preservative, insecticidal and antioxidant activities.
The most abundant compounds were 1-(3-Furyl)-4b,7,7,9b,11a-pentamethyl-3,8-
dioxohexadecahydrooxireno[d]oxireno[7,8]naphtho[2,1-f]isochromen-5-yl acetate;
Hexa-t-butylselenatrisiletane; 4-(2-Methyl-cyclohex-1-enyl)-but-3-en-2-one
and 1,3-Dimethyladamantane.