Bacterial resistance against antibiotics has become a serious health issue in clinical practice, thus
natural products can be use as additional drug. This is an alternative approach that could solve
this problem. Therefore, the current study was conducted to thoroughly investigate the
enrichment of phytochemicals and antibacterial potential of D. expansa.
The fronds samples of D. expansa prepared in different solvents (Chloroform, ethyl acetate,
methyl alcohol, N-hexane, distill water) were used against MDR bacterial strains and
phytochemical analyses.
The analyses of data revealed that D. expansa was enriched with flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins,
quinines, tannins, glycosides, carbohydrates, carotenoids, terpenoids, phlobatanins, phenols, and
coumarins while quantitatively this plant has a significantly higher content of phenols (994.42
µM/g) followed by sugar contents (740.99 µM/ml), ascorbic acid (425.60 mM/g), flavonoids
(243.12 mg/g), anthocyanin (227.15 µM/g) and proline (0.23 µM/g). On the other hand, the
organic extracts of D. expansa were highly active against all bacterial strains while hydric extract
was inactive against selected bacteria. Specifically, D. expansa was highly active against S.
aureus in all organic extracts (methyl alcohol= 18±1.52, ethyl acetate= 17±0.57, chloroform and
n-hexane= 16.33±0.33) followed by K. pneumonia (n-hexane= 14.33±1.85, chloroform=
13.66±0.88, ethyl acetate= 12.66±1.45) and E. coli (chloroform= 14 ±0.57, methyl alcohol=

13.66±0.33, ethyl acetate= 12.33±0.33), while P. aeruginosa show resistant against all extracts
except chloroform extract with 13±0.57 zone of inhibition.
Based on current findings it is concluded that D. expansa is enriched in many useful
phytochemicals that could be use as a supplement with other traditionally used antibiotics.
Keywords: Phytochemical analysis, antibacterial activity, MDR, pteridophytes, D.
expansa, fronds.