Validation of the Impact of Polyphenol-Rich Extracts on the Pro-Oxidant, Antibiotic Modulating, and Urobactericidal Properties of Boerhavia diffusa L. Root: A Uroprotective Ethnomedicine

Background and Aim

The Boerhavia diffusa L. root is traditionally used by tribal communities in Odisha, particularly in the Ganjam district, to manage urinary tract infections, liver ailments, and inflammatory conditions. However, its therapeutic potential remains underexplored scientifically. This study aims to validate the antioxidant potential of different solvent (n-hexane, chloroform, acetone, and methanol) extracts of B. diffusa root, mainly focusing on the urobactericidal activity of the polyphenol-rich methanolic extract of B. diffusa root (BDR-ME) against three uropathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) isolated from patients with urinary tract infection in Ganjam district, thereby validating its local ethnomedicinal use.

Materials and Methods

Polyphenolic compound assessment and antioxidant assays were performed, and the results were used for Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis. The results revealed that the methanolic fraction had a higher antioxidant potential than the other extracts. Hence, further antibacterial tests were conducted with BDR-ME.

Results

The polyphenol-rich BDR-ME has a significant correlation between antioxidant and urobactericidal activity. Though BDR-ME was effective against all three urobacterial strains, it had the highest growth inhibitory effect against P. aeruginosa in multiple assays. P. aeruginosa was resistant to Ampicillin (AMP), Cefixime (CFM), and Nitrofurantoin (NIT), but BDR-ME exhibited complete synergism with these antibiotics, resulting in a substantial effect against P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion

The above findings suggest that the B. diffusa root has substantial potential in combination therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, it can be proposed that the roots of B. diffusa may be prescribed as a suitable nutraceutical and biopharmaceutical source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents for augmenting urinary and renal wellbeing in humans.