Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii used in traditional medicine in Togo

Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii used in traditional medicine in Togo | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii used in traditional medicine in Togo Tchilabalo Bouyo, Komi Komi Koukoura, Sandrine Tènè Salifou, Passimna Pissang, and 10 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The rise of multidrug-resistant isolates to conventional antibiotics underscores the urgent need to identify alternative bioactive compounds. This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial potential of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii , two Togolese medicinal plants traditionally used to manage vaginal, pulmonary, gastric, and skin infections. Total hydroethanolic extracts were prepared from different plant organs through maceration. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed using standard staining methods to identify major classes of secondary metabolites. Total flavonoid content was quantified via a spectrophotometric assay. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the phosphomolybdate reduction method and the FRAP assay. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was assessed using the solid-well diffusion technique and a microplate microdilution method. The highest hydroethanolic extraction yield was obtained from the trunk bark of P. thonningii (22.67%). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, alkaloids, phenols, triterpenes, and reducing sugars. The greatest total flavonoid content was recorded in P. thonningii leaves (313.82 µg Eq R/mg DE). P. suberosa leaves exhibited strong in vitro antioxidant activity, with values of 90.70 Eq AA/g DE and 430.50 µmol Eq FeSO₄ /mg DE. The largest inhibition zone (20 mm) was observed with P. thonningii trunk bark extract against Candida albicans . Moreover, P. suberosa trunk bark and both organs of P. thonningii (leaves and trunk bark) exhibited a low MIC of 1.562 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus . The findings of this study support the traditional use of these plants in the treatment of infections caused by the tested microbial strains. Nevertheless, further investigations are required to isolate and characterize the active compounds responsible for the observed biological activities and to evaluate the toxicity profiles of both species. Biological sciences/Biochemistry Biological sciences/Biological techniques Biological sciences/Drug discovery Biological sciences/Microbiology Biological sciences/Plant sciences Pteleopsis suberosa Piliostigma thonningii phytochemistry bioactivity antioxidant antimicrobial Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 20 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 08 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 30 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 26 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 26 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 24 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9208825","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":619566567,"identity":"ae093641-8674-4f6d-9403-8d0f3a856529","order_by":0,"name":"Tchilabalo Bouyo","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACxgYGhh9QxgcgxcZOjJaDPWBGY+MMkBZmYiw6wAbR3MwDoghpkW8/3Pb4A4+Nvbn04fbHNr+2yfMxMzB++JiDW4vBmcR2gwMWaYk7+xIbm3P7bhu2MTMwS87chkcLQ2KbxAGewwkGZxiBWnpuMwK1sDHz4tEi3/8QqIXtvz1Yi2XPbXuCWhhugGxhO8C4AaSF4cftRIJaDG4AbTnbk5y4s4excWZvw+3kNmbGZrx+ke9PfyZR8cPO3pyH/cGHH39u285vbz744SM+h8GtAxGMbWCygQj1MC0Mf4hTPApGwSgYBSMLAAD6ClTVDpaB9gAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tchilabalo","middleName":"","lastName":"Bouyo","suffix":""},{"id":619566570,"identity":"a0d61e9e-10a5-4e5d-bdc0-1ec014389f77","order_by":1,"name":"Komi Komi Koukoura","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Komi","middleName":"Komi","lastName":"Koukoura","suffix":""},{"id":619566571,"identity":"2d5a14dd-240f-497a-9e6c-881619aea2ae","order_by":2,"name":"Sandrine Tènè Salifou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sandrine","middleName":"Tènè","lastName":"Salifou","suffix":""},{"id":619566572,"identity":"d2dded6b-ddb9-493c-ab3a-b48fed6fa2b0","order_by":3,"name":"Passimna Pissang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Passimna","middleName":"","lastName":"Pissang","suffix":""},{"id":619566573,"identity":"bd134d76-c80f-40f4-b3cf-0c222421906e","order_by":4,"name":"Efui Holaly Gbekley","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Efui","middleName":"Holaly","lastName":"Gbekley","suffix":""},{"id":619566574,"identity":"c84376da-5efa-4031-9f1a-f7a5821f7a4d","order_by":5,"name":"Yao Hoekou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yao","middleName":"","lastName":"Hoekou","suffix":""},{"id":619566575,"identity":"69b2c769-8413-4f98-980e-7d36260dd622","order_by":6,"name":"Luckman Gbati","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Luckman","middleName":"","lastName":"Gbati","suffix":""},{"id":619566576,"identity":"eae4f074-dacf-4cf2-a28b-dc86c5912e42","order_by":7,"name":"Komlan Edjèdu Sodjinou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Komlan","middleName":"Edjèdu","lastName":"Sodjinou","suffix":""},{"id":619566578,"identity":"93ec080d-c7a6-4044-a9ba-1f9a574dbd09","order_by":8,"name":"Blaise Etienne M'boumba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Blaise","middleName":"Etienne","lastName":"M'boumba","suffix":""},{"id":619566580,"identity":"126fe8d4-9b82-46a6-806f-cb6dd59a6dbe","order_by":9,"name":"Jules Koffi Kpatagnon","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jules","middleName":"Koffi","lastName":"Kpatagnon","suffix":""},{"id":619566582,"identity":"59531b25-8e32-40af-a0a3-17397622391e","order_by":10,"name":"Bawimodom Bidjada","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute Hygiene of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bawimodom","middleName":"","lastName":"Bidjada","suffix":""},{"id":619566584,"identity":"e1fcbfd1-7776-4b29-806f-d9af9b49c83f","order_by":11,"name":"Komla Mawunyo Dossouvi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Global Heath Research Institute of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Komla","middleName":"Mawunyo","lastName":"Dossouvi","suffix":""},{"id":619566586,"identity":"ac6dd6ef-e588-421a-9ece-aa2223677b9c","order_by":12,"name":"Samadou Tchakondo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"SRM Institute of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Samadou","middleName":"","lastName":"Tchakondo","suffix":""},{"id":619566587,"identity":"1ce8a5fc-a49e-43d9-b4e9-575c1c1e018e","order_by":13,"name":"Tchadjobo Tchacondo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Lomé","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tchadjobo","middleName":"","lastName":"Tchacondo","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-24 08:23:10","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106511985,"identity":"5c0d16dc-e834-4a00-8cd6-78f102b956a4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-09 10:57:38","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":845892,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PhytochemicalandbiologicalstudiesofthehydroethanolicextractofPteleopsissuberosaandPiliostigmathonningiiusedinherbalmedicineinTogoVrai1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9208825/v1_covered_4bc09852-c2fd-4e96-97e4-364cbaf000d8.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii used in traditional medicine in Togo","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pteleopsis suberosa, Piliostigma thonningii, phytochemistry, bioactivity, antioxidant, antimicrobial","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe rise of multidrug-resistant isolates to conventional antibiotics underscores the urgent need to identify alternative bioactive compounds. This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial potential of \u003cem\u003ePteleopsis suberosa\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePiliostigma thonningii\u003c/em\u003e, two Togolese medicinal plants traditionally used to manage vaginal, pulmonary, gastric, and skin infections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal hydroethanolic extracts were prepared from different plant organs through maceration. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed using standard staining methods to identify major classes of secondary metabolites. Total flavonoid content was quantified via a spectrophotometric assay. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the phosphomolybdate reduction method and the FRAP assay. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was assessed using the solid-well diffusion technique and a microplate microdilution method.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe highest hydroethanolic extraction yield was obtained from the trunk bark of \u003cem\u003eP. thonningii\u003c/em\u003e (22.67%). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, alkaloids, phenols, triterpenes, and reducing sugars. The greatest total flavonoid content was recorded in \u003cem\u003eP. thonningii\u003c/em\u003e leaves (313.82 µg Eq R/mg DE). \u003cem\u003eP. suberosa\u003c/em\u003eleaves exhibited strong in vitro antioxidant activity, with values of 90.70 Eq AA/g DE and 430.50 µmol Eq FeSO₄ /mg DE. The largest inhibition zone (20 mm) was observed with \u003cem\u003eP. thonningii\u003c/em\u003e trunk bark extract against \u003cem\u003eCandida albicans\u003c/em\u003e. Moreover, \u003cem\u003eP. suberosa\u003c/em\u003e trunk bark and both organs of \u003cem\u003eP. thonningii\u003c/em\u003e (leaves and trunk bark) exhibited a low MIC of 1.562 mg/mL against \u003cem\u003eStaphylococcus aureus\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study support the traditional use of these plants in the treatment of infections caused by the tested microbial strains. Nevertheless, further investigations are required to isolate and characterize the active compounds responsible for the observed biological activities and to evaluate the toxicity profiles of both species.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extracts of Pteleopsis suberosa and Piliostigma thonningii used in traditional medicine in Togo","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-09 10:56:04","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9208825/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-20T16:58:27+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-17T10:49:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-15T12:24:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-14T13:20:51+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"89838045008530023624437718211438074643","date":"2026-04-13T04:05:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"325160967300123730274997587043877238778","date":"2026-04-09T08:32:02+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"215833526635394626351837970235054614023","date":"2026-04-08T10:08:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"284824096257987732069615282540540118034","date":"2026-04-04T09:41:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-03T06:37:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-30T21:03:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-26T09:35:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-26T09:35:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2026-03-24T08:05:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"db6633bd-9fcf-4d9d-a00e-bd869136d8e6","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 9th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":65929255,"name":"Biological sciences/Biochemistry"},{"id":65929256,"name":"Biological sciences/Biological techniques"},{"id":65929257,"name":"Biological sciences/Drug discovery"},{"id":65929258,"name":"Biological sciences/Microbiology"},{"id":65929259,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-06T07:41:35+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-09 10:56:04","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9208825","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9208825","identity":"rs-9208825","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}