Antimicrobial Profile of Moldovan Cynara scolymus L.: Insights into Its Natural Antibiotic Potential

Background: Artichoke, a medicinal plant with various therapeutic uses, is widely cultivated in many of the world's geographical areas. The aim of this study was to establish the antimicrobial profile by means of comparative evaluation of the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation, and antimicrobial activities of the basal and cauline leaves, as well as the following by-products: stems, bracts, and inflorescences, from Cynara scolymus L. cultivated in the Republic of Moldova. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative characterization of the main phenolic compounds from ethanolic extracts was carried out by the HPLC-UV-MS method. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH˙, ABTS˙⁺, FRAP, and NO˙ scavenging methods. The lipid-lowering effect was established with a malonic dialdehyde complex and thiobarbituric acid. Antimicrobial properties were screened using the diffusion method. Results: The HPLC UV-MS analysis highlighted that the green aerial parts of C. scolymus are characterized by the presence of five phenolic acids (kaempferol, gentisic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and caffeic) and four flavonoid heterosides and aglycones (isoquercitrin, quercitrin, luteolin, and apigenin). Correlation between total polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.01). The extracts of C. scolymus's aerial parts exhibited significant antibacterial and antifungal activities (p < 0.05) against all tested microorganisms, while no inhibitory effect for inflorescences was observed. Conclusions: Artichoke leaves and by-products may be considered important and promising sources of bioactive compounds for herbal medicinal products, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, due to their antimicrobial properties. This study makes an original contribution to the specialized literature by the detailed characterization of the antimicrobial profile of the extracts obtained from artichoke cultivated in the Republic of Moldova, a species introduced for the first time on the territory of this country. The obtained results highlight the medicinal potential and economic value of the Moldovan artichoke, with particular emphasis on its by-products: stems, bracts, and inflorescences, which less explored so far, as sources of bioactive compounds. Our analyses indicate that the leaves and by-products of the plant represent promising resources for the development of phytopharmaceutical preparations, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, offering new directions for the integral and sustainable valorization of this species acclimatized in Moldova.