INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 318
Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Properties of
Momordica Balsamina L. (Balsam Apple) Leaves Extracts
*
Baso, Ahmed Adamu
1
, Sule, Suleiman Yusif
1
, Sheshe, Faiz Abdulkadir
1
, Rasheed, Habiba Isa
1
1
Department of Chemistry, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology Wudil, P.M.B. 3244, Kano, Kano State,
Nigeria
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2025.140600040
Received: 18 June 2025; Accepted: 23 June 2025; Published: 08 July 2025
Abstract: The microbial treatment methods are losing potentiality as pathogens are swiftly gaining resistance to antibiotics, which
poses a threat to global health communities and necessitates searching for alternatives therapeutics from plants origin with limited
side effects. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical components and antimicrobial properties of extracts from
Momordica balsamina leaves to scientifically justify the use of this plant as remedy for treating certain ailments. The ground
powdered leaves of Momordica balsamina were percolated with Ethanol and fractioned into n–Hexane, Chloroform and Methanol
fractions which were evaluated against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus using Agar
well diffusion method. The MIC and MBC were determined. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the plant extracts using
standard method revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, saponins and tannins. The antimicrobial
analysis results revealed sensitivity with highest zone of inhibition of 29.0±2.0mm, 27.0±3.0mm, 19.0±1.0mm and 15.0±2.0mm
for ethanol extract against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. This study
revealed extracts from Momordica balsamina leaves contained some bioactive compounds that could be used to treat ailments
caused by these bacteria tested.
Keywords: Microbial, Mormodica balsamina, phytochemicals, infectious diseases, bioactive compounds.
I. Introduction
Bacterial diseases have a significant effect on human health, especially in low-income countries, where antibiotic abuse, poor
infection, prevention, and control techniques contribute to high mortality rates and the establishment of drug resistance, the
antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that needs the development of new treatments (Ca'tia et al., 2022; Thakur
et al., 2024). Antibacterial resistance is expected to be responsible for 4.95 million fatalities in 2019, with most of them occurring
in low and middle-income nations, Pathogenic bacteria' AMR is expected to reach ten million by 2050 and WHO has identified
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus as critical antibiotic-resistant priority pathogens (Thakur
et al., 2024).
Antibiotics are natural or manmade chemicals (synthetic) that have the potential to hinder, suppress, or stop biochemical processes
in an organism's body, ultimately inhibiting that organism's growth process (Aryanti and Lamdayani, 2021). The growth in
antibiotic-resistant infections, notably among the Enterobacteriaceae, highlights the need for alternate treatments, Medicinal herbs
play an important role in resolving these issues (Enitan et al., 2023). They are the primary source of life-saving medications for the
majority of the world's population. Many modern medicines are derived from plants that were traditionally used to cure illness and
disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also identified over 20,000 medicinal plant species and described them as a
potential source of new medications (Vaou et al., 2021). As a result, there is an increasing desire for novel antimicrobial agents
capable of reducing the use of synthetic antibiotics while also combating resistance development. This has prompted researchers to
isolate and identify novel bioactive compounds from plants that can combat microbial resistance, Medicinal plants provide a nearly
limitless supply of bioactive chemicals, and their usage as antimicrobial agents has been explored in many methods (Vaou et al.,
2021). The majority of herbal therapies used today are awaiting validation of their claimed effects and possibly the development of
novel antimicrobial drugs from them (Bello et al., 2018). Momordica balsamina is a notable example of such plants with reported
medicinal properties that displayed crucial antibacterial properties, which renders this plant interesting in the quest for novel
antimicrobial substances (Ca'tia et al., 2022)
Description (Biological classification of Momordica balsamina)
Kingdom – Plantae
Superdivision – Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
Division – Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Class – Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Order - Cucurbitales
Family – Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber family)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 319
Sub family - Cucurbitoideae
Genus – Momordica
Species – balsamina Linn. (Thabile, 2016)
A local name includes Bitter melon, Balsam apple in English, Garahuni in Hausa, Akbon-ndewe in Igbo, and is also known as
Ejirin in Yoruba. Mozambians called it Cacana while South Africans called it nkaka (Abdulhamid et al., 2023).
Morphology of Mormodica balsamina
The plant has soft stems and tendrils that climb up shrubs, boundary fields and fences. The green leaves are deeply palmately 5-7
lobed, with toothed margin and about 12 cm long stalked (Bello et al., 2018). Researchers and traditional healers both have
expressed great interest in the plant's therapeutic potential, even though; it is considered an invasive species in some areas (Khatoon
et al., 2025).
Medicinal Uses of Mormodica balsamina (Balsam apple)
Mormodica balsamina has amazing antibacterial properties and can be used as an excellent source of antimicrobial agent for a
variety of ailments. It has been used to treat HIV, fever, diabetes, diarrhea, and family planning (Abdulhmid et al., 2023). The
leaves are cooked as part of a green vegetable soup for lactating mothers in order to regenerate lost blood during labor and purify
their breast milk. Extracts of fruits, leaves, and seeds are used as anti-helminthics in northern Nigeria and parts of Niger. Leaf
extract is used to treat high fever, uterine hemorrhage, and syphilis. It is also used to treat rheumatism, hepatitis, skin conditions,
and gastroenteritis. Many folkloric practices exist in Northern Nigeria; the majority of them lack a scientific basis. For example,
applying moist chopped Mormodica balsamina leaves to newborn babies' navel wounds serves as a healing agent (Bello et al.,
2018). In Senegal, it is used to cure hemorrhoids, uncomfortable menstruation, dermatosis, stomachaches, rheumatism, and other
diseases. An aqueous extract of its leaves relieves menstruation cramps in young females. It also possesses antimalarial and
antidiabetic effects. The Wolof people (Senegal) use the fruits for purgative and deworming reasons. Mormodica balsamina is used
in Nigeria to treat asthenia and digestive problems, and the Fulani people use it as a dewormer and tranquilizer. It is even put into
medications for mental health difficulties. Additionally, the maceration of the entire plant serves as a galactagogue and is employed
for chest massages to ease intercostal soreness. In Niger, crushed Mormodica balsamina leaves are used as poultices to treat skin
problems. In Syria, an infusion of fruit or leaf powder is used as an antibacterial, as well as to cure asthenia and hemostasis. In
Indonesia, it is used as a laxative, fever therapy and as a stimulant for loss of appetite (Thiaw et al., 2023). The leaves of Momordica
balsamina are an important source of nutrients including 17 amino acids, various minerals like Phosphorus, Zinc, Manganese,
Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron and vitamins A and C, its high potassium content is a good source for the
management of hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions (Souda et al., 2018).
Toxicity of Mormodica balsamina
According to Behera et al., 2011, there have been no published reports of any fatal or adverse effects of Mormodica balsamina in
humans at regular oral doses of 50millilitre juice. Toxicity has been found in several animal investigations, Mormodica balsamina
leaves and fruits from Nigeria have been reported to be harmful to different organs and tissues of rats at extremely high doses,
Mormodica balsamina stem bark at extremely high dosage (LD50 3750mg/kg) produced depression, dilated pupils, urine,
weakness, sleepiness, and death in rats within 24hours. Fruits are hazardous because they contain alkaloids, resins, saponin, and
glycosides, however, these compounds are denatured when cooking (Thabile, 2016). Toxicity and cytotoxicity investigations were
performed on crude extracts of Mormodica balsamina, oral administration of the methanolic extract of Mormodica balsamina to
albino mice for one week revealed that doses of 30 and 40mg/kg did not cause toxicity. However, when the dosage ranges from
50mg/kg to 150mg/kg, mice fatalities were reported with an average death rate of 20%. An intoxication syndrome develops in mice
at 50mg/kg, followed by occasional deaths, with the greatest average death rate reaching 40% (Thiaw et al., 2023).
II. Materials and Methodology
Sample collection and preparation
The fresh leaves of the plant Momordica balsamina were collected from Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology
(ADUSTECH), Wudil around the premises of Faculty of Science Complex Buiding, Wudil local government area Kano State
Nigeria and the sample was identified at Biology Department, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology Wudil by
Technologist Muhammad A. Abbas and confirmed by Prof. Lawal D. Fagwalawa and a voucher specimen number Kust/Biol/00035
was deposited there. The leaves were brought to Chemistry Mega Laboratory washed with tap water and exposed in a well-ventilated
area to air dried then ground to powder using mortar and pestle. The dried sieved powdered leaves obtained were kept in a clean
polyethene bag at room temperature which served as a sample for the research.
Extraction Procedure
One hundred and fifty grams (150g) of the powdered leaves was percolated in 1000millilitres of ethanol at ambient temperature for
two (2) weeks with regular shaken. The mixture was decanted, filtered using Whatman filter paper and concentrated using rotary
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 320
evaporator at 70
0
C. The crude ethanolic extracts obtained was dried at ambient temperature and kept for further use (Abdulhamid
et al., 2023; Thakur et al., 2024). Percentage yield was determined using the expression below
Percentage (%) yield =
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑏𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
weight of ground plant materials used
𝑋 100%
Fractionation of Crude Extract
Six grams (6.0g) of crude ethanolic extract was fractioned into three distinct fractions using various solvents (n-Hexane, Chloroform
and Methanol) based on their polarities; each fraction was allowed to dry at ambient temperature and the resulting fractions were
kept in refrigerator in air tight bottles for further use. Percentage yield was determined using the expression below
Percentage
(
%
)
yield =
weight of fraction obtained
weight of ground plant material used
𝑋 100%
(Thakur et al., 2024)
Qualitative Phytochemical Analysis
Phytochemical screening was conducted to identify the various natural products that have some bioactivity using standard methods
as described by Abubakar and Haque 2020 and Musa et al., 2023.
Test for alkaloids (Dragendorff’s test): To 1millilitre of the plant extract in a test tube,
1millilitre of Dragendorff’s reagent (potassium bismuth iodide solution) was added and shaken. Formation of an orange red
precipitates, indicates the presence of alkaloids.
Test for glycosides (Legals test): To 1millilitre of the plant extract taken in a test tube, then an equal volume of sodium
nitroprusside was added followed by few quantity of sodium hydroxide solution and then shaken. Formation of pink-to-blood-red
precipitates indicates the presence of cardiac glycoside.
Test for triterpenoids and steroids (Salkowski’s test): To 1millilitre of the plant extract in a test tube, 2millilitre of chloroform
was added, shaken, and filtered. Then few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid were added and shaken, it was allowed to stand.
Formation of golden-yellow precipitates indicates the presence of triterpenes or steroids.
Test for tannins (Gelatin’s test): To 1millilitre of plant extract in a test tube then 1% gelatin solution containing sodium chloride
was added and shaken. Formation of white precipitates indicates the presence of tannins.
Test for flavonoids (Lead acetate test): To detect the presence of flavonoids, 1millilitre of extract was taken and placed into a test
tube. Then followed by addition of few drops of lead II trioxonitrate V solution, Pb(NO
3
)
2
and shaken. Formation of yellow
precipitate indicates the presence of flavonoids
Test for Saponins: To 1millilitre of the plant extract, 2millilitre of distilled water was added to form a suspension of plant extract.
The suspension was shaken in a test tube for 10minutes. Appearance of thick foam indicates the presence of Saponins.
Test for phenols: A small amount of plant extract was taken with 1millilitre of water in a test tube and 1-2 drops of ferric chloride
was added. A blue, green, red, or purple coloration is a positive test and indicates the presence of phenols.
Preparation of stock solution and varying concentrations of the plant extracts
Four different concentrations of the extracts were prepared by serial dilution; 0.5grams of each extract was dissolved in 0.5millilitre
of Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to yield a concentration of 1.0g/ml equivalent to 1000mg/ml (10
6
µg/ml) as stock solution. From
the stock solution, 0.1ml was transferred into a sterile bijou bottle containing 0.9ml of DMSO thus giving a concentration of
100mg/ml. From stock solution 0.1ml was transferred into another sterile bijou bottle containing 1.9ml of DMSO which gave a
concentration of 50mg/ml and this was further diluted to 25mg/ml and 12.5mg/ml.
Antimicrobial bioassay Test
The antimicrobial test was carried out to access the antimicrobial activity of the leaves extract of Momordica balsamina against
Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus using Mueller-Hinton agar & Nutrient Broth agar.
Performed through the following methods:
Microorganisms collection
Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus were obtained from Microbiology Laboratory of
Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil. These organisms were chosen because they are pathogens which
cause a broader spectrum of diseases in biotic entities. The research was conducted at Microbiology Laboratory of Aliko Dangote
University of Science and Technology, Wudil.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 321
Preparation of Mueller Hinton agar Medium
The Mueller Hinton agar was prepared by dissolving 38g of the agar powder in 1000ml
of distilled water in a volumetric flask and
swirled to dissolve. The solution was sterilized in an autoclave at 121°C for 15minutes and allowed to cool at 50
o
C before pouring
to sterile Petri dishes (Bello et al., 2018; Musa et al., 2023), allowed to solidify and set for the analysis.
Preparation of culture medium and inoculation
The pure isolates were obtained by sub culturing unto fresh nutrient agar plates. The freshly grown microbial cultures were carefully
diluted in test tubes containing sterile normal saline solution to conform to the McFarland standard as described by Kengne et al.,
2017. The McFarland standard was prepared by mixing 0.05ml of 1% (W/V) dehydrated barium chloride solution with 9.95ml of
1% (V/V) Tetraoxosulphate VI acid solution and was labeled as the standard inoculums and kept in a sterile closed bottle in a
refrigerant before use. The standard inoculums were then evenly smeared onto the prepared nutrient agar plates. After smearing,
plates were dried for 15minutes and 6mm wells were punched using sterile borer. The wells were filled with concentrations of plant
extracts. Commercially available Ciprofloxacin (50.0mg/ml) was used as positive control in this study while the solvent (DMSO)
was used as negative control. After a 30-minute diffusion period, all petri dishes were placed in an incubator at 37
0
C for 24 hours.
After a 24-hour incubation period, a clear inhibition zone was measured in millimeters around each well using a millimeter ruler.
Larger zones state higher antibacterial potency, an agar well (6mm) showing no zone of inhibition was considered as no
antimicrobial activity and each test was performed in duplicate.
Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)
The broth dilution method was employed in the determination of the Minimum inhibitory concentration MIC of plant extract and
fractions were determined using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), 2017 guidelines with slight modifications.
Stock solution of all extracts was made with Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), four test tubes (for each sample) containing 2mililitres
of Mueller Hinton Broth were serially diluted with the stock solution, 0.1 mililitres of a standardized inocolums of a test organism
was added to each test tube and incubated for 24hours at 37
0
C, the test tubes were observed for presence of growth, the minimum
concentration that inhibit the growth of organism (indicated by the absence of turbidity) is the minimum inhibitory concentration
(MIC) of the test extracts (Thakur et al., 2024).
Determination of Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC)
This was carried out according to the method described by Thabile, 2016 to determine growth of the bacteria colonies on plate after
overnight incubation. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration was carried out by inoculating sample from the MIC tubes that show
no viable bacterial growth, on the prepared nutrient agar plates and incubated at 37
0
C for 24hours. The plates were observed for the
presence or absence of growth. The least concentration of extract showing no bacterial growth was considered the MBC. Values
were recorded in mg/ml
Statistical analysis
The means ± standard deviations (SD) were employed to express the data. Every test was performed in duplicate.
III. Results and Discussion
Results
Secondary metabolites (Phytochemicals) were extracted using different solvents and solutions of all the fractions obtained have a
bitter taste. Table 1 below presents some physical properties, weight and percentage yield of Mormodica balsamina leaves ethanolic
crude extract and its solvent fractions.
Table 1: Physical properties and percentage yield of the fractions obtained
Extracts
Physical Appearance/Solubility in water
Mass obtained
Percentage yield
Ethanol fraction
Dark green, sticky substance/soluble
9.08g
6.05%
n-Hexane fraction
Greenish solid and slightly soluble.
1.80g
1.20%
Chloroform fraction
Gummy Greenish solid/soluble
1.60g
1.07%
Methanol fraction
Greenish solid/soluble
2.60g
1.73%
Using different methodologies and reagents, phytochemical analysis was performed to confirm the presence of certain bioactive
substances. Table 2 shows the results of a qualitative phytochemical screening of extracts from Mormodica balsamina leaves.
Flavonoids and tannins were present in all the fractions while phenols was absent in all the fractions and alkaloid, saponins,
glycosides, steroids give positive results in some of the fractions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 322
Table 2: Phytochemical Constituents of Mormodica balsamina leaves extracts
Keys: (+) = Indicate present; (-) = Indicate absent
Table 3 showed the antimicrobial activity of crude ethanolic extract and its fractions carried against the tested bacteria Bacillus
subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus using dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) as a solvent. The crude
extract was active against all the test organisms while other fractions show selectivity for antimicrobial activities on the tested
pathogens.
Table 3: Antimicrobial Activities of Mormodica balsamina Leaves Extracts against the tested bacteria
Extracts/Drugs
Zone of Inhibitions (ZI) in millimeter (mm)
Concentrations
B. subtilis
S. typhi
S. aureus
Ethanol
100mg/ml
29.0±2.0
19.0±1.0
15.0±2.0
50mg/ml
16.0±0.5
15.0±0.0
12.0±0.5
25mg/ml
14.0±1.0
13.0±0.6
11.0±1.0
12.5mg/ml
9.0±1.0
7.0±0.5
8.0±1.5
n-Hexane
100mg/ml
18.0±0.7
12.0±0.7
11.0±1.2
50mg/ml
10.0±0.5
10.0±1.4
10.0±0.0
25mg/ml
7.0±0.0
8.0±0.5
8.0±1.0
12.5mg/ml
0.00
6.0±0.0
8.0±0.5
Chloroform
100mg/ml
25.0±0.2
14.0±0.7
14.0±0.3
50mg/ml
21.0±0.5
13.0±0.0
15.0±0.0
25mg/ml
9.0±1.5
7.0±0.0
10.0±1.7
12.5mg/ml
10.0±0.8
6.0±0.2
6.0±0.0
Methanol
100mg/ml
16.0±0.8
19.0±0.0
13.0±1.0
50mg/ml
13.0±2.0
17.0±0.4
11.0±2.0
25mg/ml
10.0±0.6
10.0±1.0
7.0±0.2
12.5mg/ml
11.0±1.0
7.0±0.2
6.0±0.0
Ciprofloxacin
50.0mg/ml
34.0±1.0
34.0±1.5
38.0±1.2
12.5mg/ml
29.0±0.0
30.0±1.0
31.0±2.0
DMSO
0.10ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
Values are mean ± S.D (n = 2)
Key: mm - millimeter
Phytochemicals/Fractions
Ethanol
n-Hexane
Chloroform
Methanol
Alkaloid
+
+
-
-
Flavonoids
+
+
+
+
Glycosides
+
+
+
-
Polyphenols
-
-
-
-
Saponins
+
-
+
+
Steroids
+
-
-
+
Tannins
+
+
+
+
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 323
In vitro activity of drugs with antibacterial potential is evaluated using two basic parameters: the Minimum Bactericidal
Concentration and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. Table 4 shows that the lowest bactericidal concentrations for the
bacterial species tested ranged from 12.5mg/ml to 50mg/ml, while the minimum inhibitory concentrations for the different
pathogenic bacteria investigated in the extracts ranged from 25mg/ml to 100 mg/ml
Table 4: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of Momordica balsamina
Leaves Extracts against the tested bacteria
Extracts
MIC and (MBC) in mg/ml
Concentrations
B. subtilis
E. coli
S. typhi
S. aureus
Ethanol
100mg/ml
-
-
-
-
50mg/ml
-
- (+)
- (+)
- (+)
25mg/ml
- (+)
-
-
-
12.5mg/ml
-
+
+
-
n-Hexane
100mg/ml
-
-
-
-
50mg/ml
- (+)
-
-
+
25mg/ml
-
- (+)
+
+
12.5mg/ml
+
-
+
+
Chloroform
100mg/ml
-
-
-
-
50mg/ml
- (+)
-
+
- (+)
25mg/ml
+
+
+
+
12.5mg/ml
+
+
+
+
Methanol
100mg/ml
-
-
-
-
50mg/ml
- (+)
- (+)
-
-
25mg/ml
-
-
- (+)
-
12.5mg/ml
+
+
+
-
Keys: - = Indicate that the bacteria were dead or growth was inhibited due to the absence of turbidity in the test tubes which means
the extract used is effective.
+ = Indicate that the bacteria were alive due to the presence of turbidity, which means the extract used is not effective. (+) = Indicate
least concentration of extract showing no bacterial growth on the agar plates (MBC)
IV. Discussion
The study has shown that Mormodica balsamina leaves extracts consists of phytochemical components which include alkaloids,
steroids, glycosides, saponins, tannins and flavonoids but phenols were absent. This finding coincides with earlier research by Giwa
et al., 2025, that assessed the phytochemical composition and antibacterial efficacy of leaves extracts in Momordica balsamina and
discovered that the anthraquinones were absent while alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins were among the bioactive compounds
present. Thakur et al., 2009 reported that screening of Mormodica balsamina leaves, seeds, fruit and stem indicates the presence of
saponins, steroids, terpenes, and cardiac glycoside. Also Abdulhamid et al., 2023 identified flavonoids, tannins, coumarins,
terpenoids and phenols from Mormodica balsamina leaves crude extract and its fractions.
Since dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a colorless, polar aprotic solvent that has no biological activity and can dissolve both polar
and non-polar molecules, it was chosen as the solvent for the plant extracts (Aryanti and Lamdayani 2021). Table 3 indicates that
at a concentration of 100 mg/ml, the entire fractions exhibited inhibitory diameter, with the highest zone of inhibition for ethanol
extract against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Staphylococcus aureus being 29.0±2.0mm, 27.0±3.0mm,
19.0±1.0mm, and 15.0±2.0mm, respectively and 0.00mm zone of inhibition for n-Hexane and Chloroform fractions against Bacillus
subtilis and Escherichia coli at 12.5mg/ml. This is in accordance with research on the antibacterial activity test of Giwa et al., 2025
who evaluated the antibacterial activities of methanol leaf extracts from Momordica balsamina, the extracts demonstrated
significant antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhi). Using methanol leaf extracts,
Abdulhamid et al., (2023) investigated the antibacterial activity of Momordica balsamina against Escherichia coli and
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 324
Staphylococcus aureus for a 24hour period. According to their findings, Momordica balsamina methanol extracts demonstrated
sensitivity to the tested microorganisms, suggesting that Momordica balsamina leaves could serve as a natural antibacterial
alternative for infections caused by these bacteria. Phytochemicals play an important role in medicinal properties of plants (Thakur
et al., 2024).
Phytochemicals are known for their medicinal significance, displaying various pharmacological, biochemical, and physiological
effects, commonly employed in modern medicine (Rajani et al., 2024). Therefore the antimicrobial properties of this plant may be
due to the presence of alkaloids tannins and flavonoids.
The MIC and MBC are the fundamental parameters used to assess the in vitro activity of antimicrobial drugs having antibacterial
potential. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the various pathogenic bacteria tested in the extracts ranged from
25mg/ml to 100mg/ml and for minimum bactericidal activity (MBC) for the bacterial species tested ranged from 12.5mg/ml to
50mg/ml, as presented in Table 4. All the extracts inhibit the growth of the pathogens (MIC) at 100mg/ml, while lowest MBC were
observed at 25mg/ml against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. The MBC values are more reliable than the
MIC values which depends only on the visual observation of turbidity (Junaid et al., 2006). MIC values <1mg/mL expressed by
crude plant extracts are regarded as indicators of good antimicrobial activity with potential physiological relevance in vivo (Souda
et al., 2018).
V. Conclusion
Based on findings, in phytochemical analysis the results showed that flavonoids and tannins are present in all the fractions, while
phenol was absent in all the fractions, steroids, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins were found present in some fractions and absent in
some fractions. Moreover the fractions where further screened for activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella
typhi and Staphylococcus aureus where the Antimicrobial analysis results revealed some sensitivity in a dose depending manner.
Therefore leaves of Momordica balsamina contains some natural compounds that could be useful in the treatment of infectious
diseases caused by these bacteria.
VI. Recommendation
Due to the presence of many metabolites in the leaves extract of Mormodica balsamina, further analysis should be carried out to
isolate and identify the specific metabolite(s) that have effect against the pathogenic organisms used in this research also the extracts
should be tested on other pathogenic microorganisms. Further investigations regarding the mode of action and other related
pharmacological studies such as in vivo investigation, drug formulation and clinical trials are highly recommended.
Acknowledgments: The Authors are thankful to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) being this research is fully funded
by Tetfund through Institution Based Research (IBR). TeTfund Reference (No: ADUSTECH/DRI&D/IBR/DISB/BT9/2024/029).
We are thankful to the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology
(ADUSTECH).
References
1. Abdulhamid A, Jega SA, Sani I, Bagudo A. I, Abubakar R. “Phytochemical and antibacterial activity of Mormodica
balsamina leaves crude extract and fractions”. Drug Discovery 2023; 17: e11dd1012 doi:
https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v17i39.e11dd1012
2. Abubakar, A.R. and Haque, M., 2020. Preparation of Medicinal Plants: Basic Extraction and Fractionation Procedures for
Experimental Purposes. Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences ¦ Volume 12 ¦ Issue 1 ¦ Pp. 1-10. January-March 2020.
Website: www.jpbsonline.org DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_175_19
3. Akbar, S. and Al-Yahya, M.A., 2011. Screening of Saudi plants for phytoconstituents, pharmacological and antimicrobial
properties. Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism, 23(2), p.76.
4. Aryanti, A., and Lamdayani, R. (2021). The Effect of Fraction and Active Compounds of Momordica Balsamina L. on
Bacteria Salmonella Typhi Causing Salmonellosis. Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research, 3(1), 29-42.
https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v3i1.291
5. Behera, T.K., John, K.J., Bharathi, L.K. and Karuppaiyan, R., 2011. Momordica. In Wild crop relatives: genomic and
breeding resources (pp. 217-246). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
6. Bello Abubakar, Fatima Muhammad, Sulaiman S. Kankara, Bashir Abdulkadir and Buhari Y. Shinkafi (2018)
Antimicrobial activity of Balsam Apple (Mormodica balsamina L.) UMYU Journal of Microbiology Research UJMR,
Volume 3 Number 1 June, 2018 ISSN: 2616 – 0668. Pp. 24-29; https://doi.org/10.47430/ujmr.1831.004
7. Enitan S. S, Ojubanire Z. A, Oyedele T. F, et al., Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activities of Momordica
charantia and Vernonia amygdalina extracts on some selected enteric isolates. TMR Modern Herb Med. 2024;7(1):2. doi:
10.53388/MHM2024002.
8. Faujdar, S., Paliwal, S. K., Mehta, S., Kalia, A. N., 2013. Pharmacognostical and phytochemical evaluation of Momordica
balsamina fruits. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 19(2), pp.77-79.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,
MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)
ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XIV, Issue VI, June 2025
www.ijltemas.in Page 325
9. Giwa Muhammad Shehu, Basira Ibrahim , Fatima Musa , and Emad M. Abdallah (2025). Evaluation of the Phytochemical
Composition and Antibacterial Efficacy of Momordica balsamina and Luffa aegyptiaca Leaf Extracts. Journal of Medicinal
Natural Products 2025, 2(1), 100002 https://doi.org/10.53941/jmnp.2025.100002
10. Junaid, S. A., Olabode, A. O., Onwuliri, F. C., Okwori, A. E. J. and Agina, S. E. (2006) ‘The antimicrobial properties of
Ocimum gratissimum extracts on some selected bacterial gastrointestinal isolates’, African Journal of Biotechnology,
5(22), pp. 2315–2321. Available at: http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB.
11. Kalia, A., Bhardwaj, N., and Gauttam, V., 2010. Evaluation of anti-diabetic activity of Momordica balsamina Linn seeds
in experimentally induced diabetes. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 2(5), pp.701-707
12. Khatoon Razia, Mujtaba Ghani, Saira Shahzad, Maleeka Siddiqa, Muhammad Azmat, Imran Zafar, Shaista Shafiq.
Phytochemical Profiling and Bioactive Potential of Momordica Balsamina Seed Extracts for Antidiabetic Activity and
Antioxidant Potential. Indus Journal of Bioscience Research (IJBR) Vol. 3 Issue. 2. Pp. 564-576
https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i2.733
13. Mickymaray S. (2019). Efficacy and mechanism of traditional medicinal plants and bioactive compounds against clinically
important pathogens Antibiotics Journal 2019; 8(4):257
14. Musa, H., Dauda, W., Bissa, A. and Usman, S. (2023). Antimicrobial Activity of Different Concentrations of Hexane
Extract of Balanites aegyptiaca (l.) Delile (Desert Date) Kernel Oil. International Journal of Microbiology and Applied
Sciences 2: 37 - 46.
15. Omokhua-Uyi AG, Van Staden J (2020) Phytomedicinal rele- vance of South African Cucurbitaceae species and their
safety assessment: a review. J Ethnopharmacol 259:112967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2020.112967
16. Rajani V, Umadevi S, Naga Raju C. A Review on Exploring the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Significance of
Indigofera astragalina. Pharmacogn Mag. 2024;3. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/09731296231215911
17. Sani A, Idris A, Banke S, Saidu Y (2019) Anti-diabetic activity of methanolic extract of Momordica balsamina in rabbits.
Sci Res J VII:1–6. https://doi.org/10.31364/ scirj/v7.i6. 2019.p0619657
18. Souda, S., George, S., Mannathoko, N., Goercke, I., Chabaesele, K. (2018). Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of
Methanol Extract of Momordica balsamina. IRA International Journal of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2455- 4499), 10(2), 7-
17. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.21013/jas.v10.n2.p1
19. Thabile Precious Nkambule 2016, Evaluation of Momordica balsamina and Momordica foetida from Swaziland for their
Antimicrobial Activity, Anti-proliferative properties and Biochemical Composition. Thesis submitted to the University of
Nottingham, School of Biosciences Division of Food Sciences for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. August, 2016
20. Thakur G, Bag M, Sanodiya B. et al (2009) Momordica balsamina: a medicinal and neutraceutical plant for health care
management. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 10:667–682. https:// doi.org/10.2174/138920109789542066
21. Thakur M, Khushboo, Yadav A, Dubey KK, Dakal TC, Yadav V. Antimicrobial Activity against Antibiotic-resistant
Pathogens and Antioxidant Activity and LCMS/MS Phytochemical Content Analysis of Selected Medicinal Plants. Journal
of Pure Applied Microbiology. 2024;18(1):722-738. doi: 10.22207/JPAM.18.1.62
22. Thiaw, M.; Samb, I.; Genva, M.; Gaye, M.L.; Fauconnier, M.-L. Momordica balsamina L.: A Plant with Multiple
Therapeutic and Nutritional Potential—A Review. Nutraceuticals 2023, 3, 556–573. https://doi.org/
10.3390/nutraceuticals3040040
23. Vaou, N.; Stavropoulou, E.; Voidarou, C.; Tsigalou, C.; Bezirtzoglou, E. 2021 Towards Advances in Medicinal Plant
Antimicrobial Activity: A Review Study on Challenges and Future Perspectives. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 2041.
https://doi.org/10.3390 /microorganisms 9102041
24. WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, 2024: bacterial pathogens of public health importance to guide research,
development and strategies to prevent and control antimicrobial resistance. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024.
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.