ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Investigating the In Vitro Antifungal Activity and Phytochemical
Composition of Commiphora gileadensis Extracts
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Bioengineering, King Fahad University for Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2025-11-29
Final revision date: 2026-06-19
Acceptance date: 2026-08-24
Publication date: 2026-09-27
Corresponding author
Fatma Ossama Gad
Bioengineering, King Fahad University for Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia
Journal of Undergraduate Research International 2026;2(3A):16-30
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ABSTRACT
Pathogenic fungi employ diverse mechanisms that cause infection and promote disease progression, which can become lifethreatening,
especially in immunocompromised patients, highlighting the need to identify affordable natural antifungal agents.
Commiphora gileadensis is a medicinal plant associated with diverse biological activities; however, its antifungal potential remains
underexplored. This study evaluated the in vitro antifungal effects of C. gileadensis extracts prepared from different plant parts
(leaves, bark, and branches) using different solvents (methanol, ethanol, and water) against four fungal strains using the agar-well
diffusion method. Additionally, the phytochemical composition of these extracts was characterized using gas chromatography–
mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed that extraction yields ranged from 10.35% to 28% for bark extracts and from 5.9% to
6.6% for branch extracts, while the leaf extract yield was 5.1%. All extracts exhibited antifungal activity to varying degrees, with the
ethanolic branch extract producing the largest inhibition zone (33.47 mm), whereas the aqueous bark extract produced the smallest
zone (11.62 mm). GC-MS analysis detected variations in the number and composition of compounds among the extracts, with the
greatest number (27) detected in the methanolic branch extract and the fewest (2) in the aqueous bark extract. Thunbergol was the
most frequently identified constituent across extracts, while other major constituents included ursolic aldehyde, spathulenol, hexadecanoic
acid-ethyl ester, and geranyl-α-terpinene, all of which may contribute to the observed antifungal activity. These findings
provide further insight into the composition and antifungal potential of C. gileadensis and support its continued investigation as a
potential source of antifungal agents.