Phytochemistry, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial activity of almaciga (Agathis philippinensis) aqueous resin extract

Abstract

This study investigated the phytochemistry, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial activity of almaciga (Agathis philippinensis) resin sourced from Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, using water as the extracting solvent. Phytochemical screening employed various tests, including Borntrager's test for anthraquinones, a coumarin test, the Alkaline Reagent test for flavonoids, the Froth test for saponins, and the Salkowski test for terpenoids. The cytotoxic activity was assessed using the brine shrimp lethality test, while the antibacterial activity was evaluated through the disc diffusion method. The study found the presence of terpenoids and saponins in the aqueous extract of almaciga (A. philippinensis) resin. The cytotoxicity results indicated a high mortality rate of 85% at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml, with an LC50 value of 401.65 μg/ml, which is classified as toxic according to Meyer's Toxicity Index. Furthermore, the concentrated crude extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus, with an average zone of inhibition measuring 21.0 mm. These findings underscore the pharmacological potential of almaciga resin, though further investigation is encouraged to validate the results.