Phytochemical Investigation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis FlowersandEvaluation of Their Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract

Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds that play a significant role in the development of newtherapeuticagents. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, a widely used ornamental and medicinal plant, has been traditionally used for treating variousailments.Thepresent study aims to investigate the phytochemical constituents of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower extracts and evaluate their antimicrobialactivity against selected bacterial and fungal strains. Flower samples were subjected to successive extraction using solventsofincreasingpolarity. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, andglycosidescarbohydrate. The antimicrobial activity was assessed using the agar well diffusion method against Escherichia coli. Theresultsdemonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, particularly in ethanol and methanol extracts, supporting the potential use of Hibiscusrosa-sinensis flowers as a natural antimicrobial agent.