# Metabolic Profiling of _Conyza sumatrensis_ ([PERSON].) [PERSON] from Lugazi, Uganda
## 1 Introduction  
_Conyza sumatrensis_ ([PERSON].) E. Walker is a dicotyledonous herb of the Asteraceae family commonly called Broadleaf Fleabane or Sumatran Fleabane [1] and in many regions ofUganda, \"kafumbe\" [2]. It spreads invasively worldwide and can be found across Africa [3]. Morphological characteristics include an erect hairy stem, up to 120 cm tall, with spreading and serrated leaves [4]. The plant is distinguished from other species, e.g., _C. bonariensis_ and _C. canadensis_, by its annual growth, small disciform capitula that lack fully developed ray florets, and narrow lancoolate leaves, which are alternately arranged along the stem [5]. _C. sumatrenis_ is able to develop resistance against popular herbicides, such as glyphosate and chlorimuron-ethyl, revealing a high degree of ecological adaptability [6].  
Different traditional medicinal applications of _C. sumatrensis_ have been reported from West and Central Africa, including its use as an antiplasmodial [7] and antihelmintic remedy [8], as well as for its antimicrobial and antioxidant activities in general [1]. In Uganda, the plant is applied by local healers to treat ringworm infections, heal wounds, and control ectoparasites [2]. The herbal medicines are primarily prepared as hot water extracts, decoctions, or steam baths [9]. Essential oils from different parts of the plant have been found to exhibit distinct bioactivities. For example, the leaf oil shows significant antibacterial effects against several pathogens determined with the broth-microdilution method [e.g., _Enterococcus faecalis_ (MIC: \(>\)500 \(\mathrm{\SIUnitSymbolMicro}\)/mL), _Staphylococcus aureus_ (MIC: 15.62 \(\mathrm{\SIUnitSymbolMicro}\)/mL) and _Proteus mirabilis_ (MIC: 62.50 \(\mathrm{\SIUnitSymbolMicro}\)/mL). Antifungal activity was observed with the percentages of mycelia-growth inhibition (GI). The leaf oil showed 80% GI for _Candidia albicans_ and 69% for _Aspergillus fumigatus_ and other filamentous fungi between 15.8 and 34.9% at a concentration of 500 \(\mathrm{\SIUnitSymbolMicro}\)/mL [10]. Besides antimicrobial effects, various extracts demonstrate antioxidant properties, including radical scavenging activity of the methanolic extract of _C. sumatrensis_[1]. Previous studies have mostly described the presence or absence of certain natural product classes [1], but only a few specific compounds were identified. A preliminary phytochemical analysis by [PERSON] et al., 2008 [4] revealed tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, and glycosides in steam-distilled fresh leaves of the plant. An essential oil composition analysis identified limonene, \(\beta\)-pinene, and (_E_)-\(\beta\)-caryophyllene as major compounds [10]. GC-MS analyses of hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanolic extracts of the leaves of _C. sumatrensis_ found spathulenol, (_cis_)-\(\beta\)-farnesene, _cis_-pinene, and _E_-phytol as the most prominent components [1]. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprinting of aqueous and methanolic extracts from the leaves performed by [PERSON] et al. revealed 11 and 28 characteristic peaks, respectively, which were not further determined [7]. Even though _C. sumatrensis_ is widely used as a therapeutic plant, significant gaps remain in our knowledge regarding its phytochemistry.  
Here, we report on the detailed chemical profile of _C. sumatrensis_, using a broad range of analytical approaches, including TLC, HPLC, GC-MS, and LC-MS/MS. Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) [11] and in silico annotation tools were employed to visualize and annotate non-targeted MS data. Furthermore, antimicrobial activity of the extracts was investigated against a gram-positive and a gram-negative test organism.