Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extract and fractions from Helichrysum faradifani Scott- Elliot (Asteraceae)

Background Helichrysum Faradifani Scott-Elliot (Asteraceae), an indigenous endemic plant from Madagascar, is widely used in Malagasy traditional medicine. Crushed juice from leaves is used as a disinfectant to heal wounds, boils, and urinary infections. The aim of the research was to evaluate its antioxidant activity, quantify total flavonoid content, and identify the plant's antibacterial properties. Methods Study plants were collected, shade dried, pulverized.The aqueous extract obtained by decoction was partitioned using liquid-liquid to produce hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol fractions. Phytochemical screening was carried out, followed by flavonoid content, antioxidant and, antibacterial tests. Phytochemical screening was carried out using standard test methods.The total flavonoid content of the aqueous extract was determined by UV spectrophotometry using the method of colorimetry with 2% aluminum trichloride Antioxidant activity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay.Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using 96-well microplates and microdilution in nutrient broth. Results were analyzed by ANOVA using Tukey's test. Results Biological tests demonstrated antioxidant activity of aqueous extract with 50% inhibitory concentrations of free radicals at 26.3 ± 1.0, 24.7 ± 2.6, 17.8 ± 1.3, and 9.5 ± 0.1 µg/ml, respectively, and a flavonoid content of 286.6 ± 9.4 μg EQ/mg in the aqueous fraction, which is the most commonly used in popular medicine. Furthermore, the aqueous, hexane, and ethyl acetate fractions showed antibacterial efficacy against four bacterial strains: Bacillus cereus , Bacillus anthracis , Clostridium perfringens , and Streptococcus pneumoniae . The minimum inhibitory concentrations varied from 31.25 to 1000 µg/mL.The minimum bactericidal concentrations were 250 to 500 µg/mL. Conclusion These findings show an important quantity of phenolic compounds in an aqueous extract of the aerial part of Helichrysum faradifani . It shows the potential antioxidant and antibacterial effects of Helichrysum faradifani extracts. This highlights the potential interest in exploiting the advantages of this plant in phytomedicine, and its activities have demonstrated its importance in folk medicine.