Spectral characterization of the bioactive principles and antibacterial properties of cold methanolic extract of Olea europaea from the Hail region of Saudi Arabia

This work aimed to identify the bioactive constituents and antibacterial activity of a cold methanolic extract of Olea europaea leaves. GC–MS analysis of the cold methanolic extract of the leaves of O. europaea L. revealed several unique bioactive compounds, including 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, n-hexadecanoic acid, 9-octadecenamide, (Z)-, hexadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester, squalene, 2-(2-Hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-3,5,6-trimethylpyrazine, Benzoic acid, 4-formyl-, methyl ester, 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, Vitamin E etc. The FT-IR spectrum revealed distinct fingerprint regions at 3313, 2943, 2831, 1662, 1590, 1449, 1300, 1111, and 1020 cm−1. The fingerprinting region is associated with the presence of several bioactive chemicals as determined by GC–MS analyses. The methanolic extract of O. europaea leaves revealed a broader spectrum of antibacterial activity. On the other hand, the spectrum of activity was substantially narrower than that of standard ciprofloxacin discs.