Estimating the Minerals, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Contents and Antibacterial Investigation of Fruits and Leaves of Lotus edulis Plant Extracts

Abstract

The present study investigated the mineral composition and antibacterial activity of leaves and fruits of Lotus edulis collected from Al-Marj, northeastern Libya. Mineral analysis revealed significant variations between plant organs, with potassium and nitrogen predominating in leaves (1319 ppm and 673.5 ppm, respectively) compared to fruits (919 ppm and 249 ppm). Phosphorus was slightly higher in fruits (111.91 ppm) than in leaves (98.96 ppm), while sodium and calcium were consistently greater in leaves. Antibacterial assays demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition against selected bacterial strains. Leaf extracts exhibited stronger activity than fruit extracts, particularly against Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli, with inhibition zones ranging from 14–8 mm and 10–5 mm, respectively. Notably, leaf extracts inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15–8 mm), whereas fruit extracts showed no effect. Neither organ extract produced detectable inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus. These findings highlight organ-specific mineral distribution and suggest that L. edulis leaves contain bioactive compounds with promising antibacterial potential. Further phytochemical characterization and standardized assays are recommended to identify active constituents and validate antimicrobial efficacy.