Abstract
Present study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity of Laurus nobilis grown in Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. Dried leaves of L. nobilis were extracted with various solvent with increasing polarities. Solvent extracts exhibited variable inhibition zones against bacterial pathogens, however all the solvent extracts showed significant inhibition against fungal pathogens. Acetone extracts had the largest inhibition zone against Streptococcus pnemoniae (37.16 +/- 0.23 mm) while ethanol and methanol extract showed the most efficient percentage inhibition against mycelial growth of Alternaria alternata (91.33 +/- 0.47; 90.66 +/- 0.94).High cytotoxicity was demonstrated by methanol and aqueous extracts (IC50 14.90 mu g/ml, 24.56 mu g/ml), while acetone extracts showed moderate effects on cell inhibition (IC50 41.43 mu g/ml).The significant activity shown by the bay leaf extracts could be attributed to monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, phenylpropanoids, phenols, and other important phytoconstituents identified in GC- MS and FTIR studies. Our findings clearly show significant antifungal, antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of solvent extracts of bay leaves, which could be attributed to the presence of wide range of phytochemicals. Since plants derived natural products are less toxic, cheaper, and have negligible side effects, they would serve as an excellent alternative to antimicrobial and chemotherapeutic drugs.