{
  "abstract": "The escalating challenge of antimicrobial resistance require a continuous search for novel compounds with therapeutic potential. The approach of linking traditional practices and knowledge with evidence-based preclinical studies can help minimize the resource-intensive process of drug screening. Rumex abyssinicus is an important plant species used in Ethiopian traditional medicine, and this study aims to conduct a phytochemical analysis of root extracts of R. abyssinicus and determine its antimicrobial activity. R. abyssinicus roots were extracted in six solvents of different polarities. Agar well-diffusion assays of the extracts were performed against type culture bacterial strains, clinically bacterial isolates, and fungi, while the tube dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts. The ground root powder was refluxed with acetonitrile (1:10 w/v) and analyzed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass-spectrometry. A one-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc multiple comparisons was performed, and differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. The root extract of R. abyssinicus showed antimicrobial activity against type culture bacteria and clinical isolates, and fungi. Extraction with different solvents yielded extracts with varying antimicrobial activities. The extracts showed a varied range of antimicrobial activities against the test organisms, with inhibition zones of 11–25 mm for bacteria and 9–24 mm for fungi. The MIC range fell between 12.5 and 100 mg/mL. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of major compounds such as emodin (30%), chrysophanol (18%), physcion (16%), helminthosporin (12%), citreorosein (11%) and emodic acid (8%) which are envisaged to have functional roles in chemical defense against the tested organisms. The susceptibilities of the tested bacteria and fungi varied depending on the type of solvent used for extraction and extract concentration. Enhanced antimicrobial activities were observed against the entire panel of bacteria compared to those against the test fungi. The results support the traditional use of R. abyssinicus for treating infectious diseases.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Microbial Sciences and Genetics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia",
    "Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan region, Iraq",
    "Department of Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
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  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Gemechu Ameya"
    },
    {
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        1
      ],
      "name": "Aseer Manilal"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Mujib Abdulkadir"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tegenu Gelana"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kuzhunellil Raghavanpillai Sabu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/189ann28hq1fb.bib",
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  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358267",
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  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
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  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
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  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1110|Phytochemistry and biological activity of medicinal plants"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Plant biochemistry/Phytochemicals"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Medical microbiology/Microbial pathogens/Bacterial pathogens/Staphylococcus/Staphylococcus aureus/Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Microbial control/Antimicrobials"
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    [
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Fungi"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Plants/Medicinal plants"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Plant science/Plant biochemistry/Phytochemicals"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Pathogens/Microbial pathogens/Bacterial pathogens/Staphylococcus/Staphylococcus aureus/Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus"
    ],
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      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pharmacology/Drugs/Antimicrobials"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pharmacology/Drugs/Antimicrobials/Antifungals"
    ],
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      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Organic compounds/Acetones"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Organic compounds/Alcohols/Ethanol"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Organic chemistry/Organic compounds/Acetones"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Organic chemistry/Organic compounds/Alcohols/Ethanol"
    ],
    [
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  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0358267&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-11",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/189ann28hq1fb.ris",
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    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:50Z",
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  "subjects": [
    {
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      "subfield": "microbiology"
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      "origin": "plos:organic chemistry",
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      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:pharmacology",
      "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology"
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  "title": "In vitro antimicrobial potential and phytochemical analysis of root extracts of Rumex abyssinicus from southern Ethiopia",
  "title_text": "In vitro antimicrobial potential and phytochemical analysis of root extracts of Rumex abyssinicus from southern Ethiopia",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/189ann28hq1fb",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
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}