Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: 1858-5051
High-impact research on the latest developments in medicine and healthcare across MENA and Africa
Antimicrobial Activity of Cymbopogon schoenanthus Extracts against Selected Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)-causing Bacteria
Published date: Oct 16 2025
Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 20 (2025), Issue No. 3
Pages: 353 - 365
Authors:
Abstract:
Background: Several plant species, such as Cymbopogon schoenanthus, have been traditionally employed for treating a range of illnesses. The medicinal potential of C. schoenanthus, presently traded in the Sudan market, is believed to be significant. The objective of this study is to examine the antibacterial activity of C. schoenanthus against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that commonly cause urinary tract infections.
Methods: The antimicrobial activity of C. schoenanthus extracts was evaluated using well diffusion and broth dilution methods by measuring inhibition zones and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs).
Results: The largest inhibition zone was observed for S. aureus (17.0 ± 0.58 mm with diethyl ether extract), while the smallest was for E. coli (7.7 ± 0.58 mm with ethanol). MBCs ranged from 6.25 to 50 mg/mL, with both extracts showing the strongest bactericidal effect against S. aureus (MBC: 6.25 mg/mL), and the diethyl ether extract exhibiting enhanced activity against E. coli (MBC: 25 mg/mL).
Conclusion: Both ethanolic and diethyl ether extracts of C. schoenanthus exhibited antibacterial activity against common UTI-causing pathogens. These findings support the traditional use of the plant and suggest potential for further investigation into its bioactive compounds.
Keywords: Cymbopogon schoenanthus, urinary pathogens, agar well diffusion
References:
[1] Hashim, G. M., Almasaudi, S. B., Azhar, E., Al Jaouni, S. K., & Harakeh, S. (2017). Biological activity of Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oil. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 24(7), 1458–1464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.06.001
[2] Atanasov, A. G., Waltenberger, B., Pferschy-Wenzig, E.-M., Linder, T., Wawrosch, C., Uhrin, P., Temml, V., Wang, L., Schwaiger, S., Heiss, E. H., Rollinger, J. M., Schuster, D., Breuss, J. M., Bochkov, V., Mihovilovic, M. D., Kopp, B., Bauer, R., Dirsch, V. M., & Stuppner, H. (2015). Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review. Biotechnology Advances, 33(8), 1582–1614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.001
[3] Fotsing Yannick Stéphane, F., Kezetas Jean Jules, B., El-Saber Batiha, G., Ali, I., & Ndjakou Bruno, L. (2022). Extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and herbs. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98602
[4] Khadri, A., Neffati, M., Smiti, S., Falé, P., Lino, A. R. L., Serralheiro, M. L. M., & Araújo, M. E. M. (2010). Antioxidant, antiacetylcholinesterase and antimicrobial activities of Cymbopogon schoenanthus L. Spreng (lemon grass) from Tunisia. LWT - Food Science and Technology, 43(2), 331–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2009.08.004
[5] Balbaa, S. I. (1953). A pharmacognostical study of the origin of lemongrass oil [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Florida]. https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/05/34/29/ 00001/AA00053429_00001.pdf
[6] Yousif, E. O. (2017). Comparative analysis of chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant and spasmolytic activity of essential oils of Cymbopogon nervatus (Hochst.) Chiov. and Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng (Poaceae) from Sudan. Semantic Scholar. https: //www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Comparativeanalysis- of-chemical-composition%2C-and-Yousif/ 09438a5ef5765647d1f57fa781aeb32cb983bd8f
[7] Janssen, A. M., Scheffer, J. J. C., & Baerheim Svendsen, A. (1987). Antimicrobial activities of essential oils. A 1976-1986 literature review on possible applications. Pharmaceutisch Weekblad. Scientific Edition, 9(4), 193–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02029329
[8] Malti, C. E. W. (2019). Study of biological activities and chemical composition of essential oils of three aromatic plants from Algeria: Pituranthos scoparius (Guezzah), Santolina africana (EL Djouada) and Cymbopogon schoenanthus (El Lemad). HAL Open Science. https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel- 02522150/
[9] El-Askary, H. I., Meselhy, M. R., & Galal, A. M. (2003). Sesquiterpenes from Cymbopogon proximus. Molecules, 8(9), 670–677. https://doi.org/10. 3390/80900670
[10] Elhardallou, S. B. (2011). Cytotoxicity and biological activity of selected Sudanese medicinal plants. Research Journal of Medicinal Plant, 5(3), 201–229. https://doi.org/10.3923/rjmp.2011.201.229
[11] Sabry, A., El-Zayat, S., El-Said, A., Abdel-Motaal, F., & Magraby, T. (2014). Mycoflora associated with Halfabar leaves and stems (Cymbopogon schoenanthus L. Sprengel), in vitro the antimicrobial activity of the plant leaves and stems secondary metabolites. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 3, 874–882.
[12] de Sousa, E. M. B. D, Câmara, A. P. C., Costa, W. A., Costa, A. C. J., Oliveira, H. N. M., Galv ao, E. L., & Marques, M. M. O. (2005). Evaluation of the extraction process of the essential oil from Cymbopogon schoenanthus with pressurized carbon dioxide. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 48(SPE), 231–236. https://doi.org/10. 1590/S1516-89132005000400028
[13] Norbert, G., Seth, N. W., Dodji, K. B., Roger, N. C. H., Guillaume, K. K., Essè, A. K. K., & Isabelle, G. A. (2014). The use of two new formulations of Ocimum canum Sims and Cymbopogon schoenanthus L. in the control of Amitermes evuncifer silvestri (Termitidae: Termitinae), in Togo. International Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2(10), 195–205.
[14] Tyagi, A. K., & Malik, A. (2010). Liquid and vapourphase antifungal activities of selected essential oils against Candida albicans: Microscopic observations and chemical characterization of Cymbopogon citratus. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 10(1), 65. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-10-65
[15] Hellali, N., Mahammed, M. H., Ramdane, F., & Talli, A. (2016). Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. essential oil, growing in Illizi-Algeria. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 10(14), 188–194. https://doi.org/10.5897/JMPR2015.5985
[16] Wannissorn, B., Jarikasem, S., Siriwangchai, T., & Thubthimthed, S. (2005). Antibacterial properties of essential oils from Thai medicinal plants. Fitoterapia, 76, 233–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2004.12.009
[17] El-Kamali, H. H., Hamza, M. A., & El-Amir, M. Y. (2005). Antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Cymbopogon nervatus inflorescence. Fitoterapia, 76(5), 446–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2005.03.001
[18] Ahmad, A., & Viljoen, A. (2015). The in vitro antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon essential oil (lemon grass) and its interaction with silver ions. Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, 22(6), 657–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2015.04.002
[19] Takaisi-Kikuni, N. B., Tshilanda, D., & Babady, B. (2000). Antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Cymbopogon densiflorus. Fitoterapia, 71(1), 69–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(99)00097-0
[20] CLSI. (2023). M100. CLSI.
[21] Tille, P. M. (2017). Bailey & Scott’s diagnostic microbiology (14th ed.). Mosby.
[22] National Center for Research. (1970). https://ncr.gov. sd
[23] Singh, B. R. (2013). Evaluation of antibacterial activity of Salvia officinalis L. sage oil on veterinary clinical isolates of bacteria. Medicine, Noto-are 15782463, 1–5.
[24] Jafari-Sales, A., Hossein-Nezhad, P., & Bolouri, P. (2019). Identification of chemical composition of essential oil and evaluation of antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Mentha pulegium on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Health Biotechnology and Biopharma, 3(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.22034/HBB.2019.10
[25] Suerdem, T. B., & AkyalÇIn, H. (2017). In vitro screening of antibacterial activity of honey samples collected from Kosovo. Journal of Scientific Perspectives, 1(2), 31–39.
[26] Demarsh, P. L., Gagnon, R. C., Hetzberg, R. P., & Jaworski, D. D. (2001). Methods of screening for antimicrobial compounds. Smithkline Beccham Corporation. Pub. World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO.
[27] Parvekar, P., Palaskar, J., Metgud, S., Maria, R., & Dutta, S. (2020). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of silver nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus. Biomaterial Investigations in Dentistry, 7(1), 105–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/26415275.2020.1796674
[28] Janssen, A. M., Tsai Sioe, W. H. R., Scheffer, J. J. C., & Svendsen, A. B. (1988). Citronellal and citronellol, a case of antimicrobial antagonism? Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 3(3), 137–140. https://doi.org/10. 1002/ffj.2730030310
[29] Yagi, S., Mohammed, A. B. A., Tzanova, T., Schohn, H., Abdelgadir, H., Stefanucci, A., Mollica, A., & Zengin, G. (2020). Chemical profile, antiproliferative, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibition activities and docking studies of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. and Cymbopogon nervatus (Hochst.) Chiov. from Sudan. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 44(2), e13107. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.1310731
[30] Esimone, C., Chah, K., & Ikejide, S. (2002). Microbiological quality of herbal preparations marketed in South East Nigeria. Journal of Natural remedies, 2(1), 42–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.06.001