# Preliminary Studies on In Vitro Antibacterial Activity Against Staphylococcus aureus of Supercritical Fluid Extract from Juniperus oxycedrus: Evidence on Phenols Effect

## TL;DR

This study shows that an extract from Juniperus oxycedrus berries can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and may be useful in food or medicine.

## Contribution

The study introduces a supercritical fluid extract from Juniperus oxycedrus with antibacterial activity against S. aureus and evaluates its absorption and toxicity using bioinformatics.

## Key findings

- The extract prolonged the lag phase of S. aureus growth by 6 to 8 hours.
- Phenolic compounds in the extract showed high gastrointestinal absorption potential.
- The extract may interact with metabolic mediators and pathways, suggesting biological relevance.

## Abstract

Background: The growing interest in developing new bioactive agents from natural sources led to medicinal and aromatic plants. These plants provide valuable phytochemicals that can serve as natural preservatives, food additives, and flavorings, with various applications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of Juniperus oxycedrus berries’ supercritical extract through preliminary screenings related to in vitro antibacterial activity, as well as bioinformatics assessments of absorption and toxicity. Methods: Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) was used to extract the bioactive phytochemical compounds from the berries. The extract was characterized using spectrophotometric methods and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The antibacterial potential was tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, where the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration and the Minimal Bactericidal Concentration were determined. Additionally, the influence of the extract on the growth curve kinetics of S. aureus was assessed. For the bioinformatics analyses, SwissADME and ProTox-3.0 prediction software were utilized, focusing on the identified phenolic compounds as fingerprint molecules. Results: The results demonstrated that exposure to the juniper extract inhibited bacterial growth, resulting in a prolonged lag phase of 6 to 8 h, depending on the concentration of the extract. The software predictions revealed that the investigated phenolic compounds might exhibit high gastrointestinal absorption, along with potential interactions with metabolic mediators and pathways. Conclusions: The in vitro and in silico findings support the application of J. oxycedrus berries extract as an alternative or complementary strategy for pharmacological treatment and food applications aimed at targeting S. aureus.