<![CDATA[Background: Pathogenic bacterial infections, particularly gastroenteritis caused by Escherichia coli, remain a major global health challenge due to escalating antibiotic resistance. Dracaena angustifolia (Suji leaf) contains diverse bioactive secondary metabolites that offer potential antimicrobial properties, making it a viable natural alternative for exploration. Purpose: To analyze the phytochemical screening profile using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and evaluate the comparative antibacterial efficacy of Dracaena angustifolia leaf ethanol extract against the growth of Escherichia coli in vitro. Method: This experimental laboratory study used a 96% ethanol maceration method to extract compounds from Suji leaves. Phytochemical screening was conducted via conventional tube reagents and confirmed using TLC (Silica Gel GF254) to determine Rf values. Antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was evaluated using the disk diffusion method with extract concentrations of 20%, 60%, and 80% w/v across three replications. Ciprofloxacin and 10% DMSO served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Data were statistically analyzed using One-Way ANOVA and the Tukey HSD post-hoc test (p<0.05) Results: The maceration process resulted in a yield of 13.47%. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids (Rf=0.92), saponins (Rf= 0.71), and tannins (Rf= 0.65). The mean inhibition zone diameter increased dose-dependently: 11.23 mm (20%), 13.83 mm (60%), and 14.61 mm (80%). Statistical analysis showed that the differences among the extract concentration groups were not significant (p<0.05). However, a highly significant difference was observed when comparing all extract concentrations to ciprofloxacin (p=0.000). Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Dracaena angustifolia leaves possesses alkaloid, saponin, and tannin compounds that exhibit a strong capacity to inhibit Escherichia coli. While higher concentrations widen the inhibition zone, the structural increase is not statistically significant, and its overall efficacy remains lower than the standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Keywords: Antibacterial; Dracaena Angustifolia; Escherichia Coli; Phytochemical Screening; Thin Layer Chromatography.]]>
