Phytochemical Analysis of Acacia ehrenbergiana (Hayne) Grown in Qatar: Identification of Active Ingredients and Their Biological Activities

Acacia ehrenbergiana (Hayne), also known as Salam, is a highly drought resistant shrub distributed in North and East Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. The plant is gathered for its gum and fiber, and is an important legume species for indigenous populations. In this study, the phytochemical analysis, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of various alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Acacia ehrenbergiana grown in Qatar were investigated. The qualitative phytochemical screening of this species exhibited the presence of glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phenol, and anthraquinones in various extracts. The agar diffusion method was performed to check the antibacterial activity. The acetone and ethanol extracts showed 85% antibacterial activity of the control against Gram-negative E. coli, while the acetone extract had 65% activity against the Bacillus Gram-positive species. The highest activity against Staphylococcus aureus was 65% for the butanol extract. The antioxidant capacities were evaluated by the DPPH method. Various extracts exhibited antioxidant activities similar to or higher than standard antioxidants, with the highest percent inhibition of 95% for the acetone and ethanol extracts. The acetone extracts were further purified by reverse phase combiflash chromatography followed by HPLC. Three of the pure compounds isolated were subjected to MS, FTIR, and NMR spectral analysis and were found to be stigmasterol, spinasterol, and theogallin. In conclusion, the observed antibacterial and antioxidant activities as well as the presence of secondary metabolites with potential medicinal activities makes Acacia ehrenbergiana a potent valuable endemic medicinal plant.