In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Evaluation of the Methanolic Seed Extract of Helianthus Annuus Linn. (Asteraceae) with Gc-ms Profiling of Bioactive Phytoconstituents

Undunti Aishwarya; Nandabaram Asha; Rajaputana Lakshmi Manisha; Bachu Bhavani; Muvvala Sudhakar

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.86783

In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Evaluation of the Methanolic Seed Extract of Helianthus Annuus Linn. (Asteraceae) with Gc-ms Profiling of Bioactive Phytoconstituents

Author(s)	Ms. Undunti Aishwarya, Mrs Nandabaram Asha, Dr. Rajaputana Lakshmi Manisha, Mrs Bachu Bhavani, Dr. Muvvala Sudhakar
Country	India
Abstract	Oxidative stress and the worldwide escalation of antimicrobial resistance have renewed scientific interest in plant-derived bioactive molecules as safe, sustainable sources of antioxidants and antimicrobials. Helianthus annuus Linn. (Asteraceae), the common sunflower, is a widely cultivated oilseed crop whose seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols and phenolic compounds; however, an integrated in vitro evaluation of its seed extract remains limited. The present study was designed to investigate the preliminary phytochemistry, in vitro antioxidant potential, phytoconstituent profile and antibacterial activity of the methanolic seed extract of H. annuus. Dried seed powder was Soxhlet-extracted with methanol, and the concentrated extract was screened for secondary metabolites using standard qualitative tests. Antioxidant activity was assessed by the DPPH radical-scavenging assay and total phenolic content, using ascorbic acid and gallic acid as reference standards, respectively. Volatile and semi-volatile constituents were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the agar well diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined and compared with that of amoxicillin. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols and proteins, whereas saponins, sterols, alkaloids, carbohydrates and glycosides were absent. The extract exhibited concentration-dependent DPPH radical-scavenging activity comparable to ascorbic acid and a total phenolic content of 32.26 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of extract. GC-MS analysis identified eight chromatographic peaks, of which hexadecanoic (palmitic) and 9-octadecenoic (oleic) acid methyl esters, together with the pentacyclic triterpenoid lupeol acetate, were the pharmacologically notable constituents; the remaining peaks corresponded to the solvent and trace derivatisation- or column-related signals. In contrast, the extract produced no measurable zone of inhibition and showed no appreciable suppression of bacterial growth at concentrations up to 150 microgram per millilitre, whereas amoxicillin was active. These findings indicate that the methanolic seed extract of H. annuus is a promising natural antioxidant, an effect attributable to its phenolic, flavonoid and tannin constituents, although it lacks significant antibacterial activity at the concentrations examined, warranting further bioassay-guided fractionation and dose optimisation.
Keywords	Helianthus Annuus; DPPH Radical Scavenging; Total Phenolic Content; GC-MS; Antibacterial Activity; Asteraceae
Field	Medical / Pharmacy
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-12
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.86783

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In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Evaluation of the Methanolic Seed Extract of Helianthus Annuus Linn. (Asteraceae) with Gc-ms Profiling of Bioactive Phytoconstituents

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