Evaluation of Bioactivity and Biochemical Composition of Galium aparine L

Due to increasing antimicrobial resistance and oxidative stress, the exploration of new therapeutic agents from medicinal plants such as Galium aparine L., has become essential. This study aimed to provide a scientific basis for the ethnomedicinal applications of G. aparine by evaluating its biological activities and biochemical composition. Plant samples were extracted using different solvents and their biological activities were assessed through antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anti-quorum sensing (AQS) assays against different microorganisms. Antioxidant capacity was determined using four complementary assays representing distinct mechanisms, while the biochemical composition was analyzed via GC-MS. The results revealed that although the extracts exhibited limited antimicrobial activity overall, significant inhibition was observed against Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus strains, with MIC values as low as 30 µg/mL. The ethanol extract demonstrated the highest antibiofilm inhibition (60.38%) against Streptococcus mutans, surpassing the positive control Halamid, and showed the strongest AQS inhibition (46.16%). Moreover, a strong antioxidant potential comparable to ascorbic acid was detected in the ABTS assay, with 88.10% inhibition. Overall, these findings indicate that G. aparine extracts possess notable antibiofilm, AQS, and antioxidant properties that support their traditional medicinal uses and suggest their potential as promising sources for the development of new natural therapeutic agents.