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Antimicrobial activity of Plicosepalus acaciae
Fitoterapia 72 Ž2001. 431᎐434
Short report
Antimicrobial activity of Plicosepalus acaciae A.A. Elegami a,U , E.I. Elnimab, A.K. Muddathir b, M.E. Omer a a
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Institute, National Centre for Research, P.O. Box 2404, Khartoum, Sudan b Uni¨ ersity of Khartoum, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 1996, Khartoum, Sudan
Received 8 October 2000; accepted in revised form 28 December 2000
Abstract The antimicrobial activities of chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stem are reported. In particular, the leaf methanol extract, showing the highest level of activity against the tested standard microorganisms, was effective also against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative clinical isolates from Sudanese patients. 䊚 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Plicosepalus acaciae; Antimicrobial activity
Plant material. Leaves and stems of Plicosepalus acaciae ŽZucc.. Weins. et Polhill. ŽLoranthaceae ., semiparasite on Acacia seyal, were collected from the Khartoum ŽSudan. botanical garden, in May 1998 and authenticated by Dr G.E.B. Elgazali ŽM.A.P.R.I.. Uses in traditional medicine. For the treatment of diabetes mellitus w1x and to enhance wound healing w2x. U
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] ŽA.A. Elegami.. 0367-326Xr01r$ - see front matter 䊚 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 3 6 7 - 3 2 6 X Ž 0 1 . 0 0 2 6 8 - 4
432
Table 1 Antimicrobial activity of extracts from Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stems a Part used
Solvent
Yield Ž%.
Phytochemical screening
Diameter of inhibition zone Žmm. B. s.
St. a.
E. c.
Ps. a.
C. a.
Sa. c.
CHCl3 MeOH H2 O
2.95 32.09 29.92
T q q, F q St " , T q qq Sa " , T q qq
14 34 24
14 32 24
12 28 18
13 29 21
᎐ 17 15
11 28 17
Stem
CHCl3 MeOH H2 O
0.97 9.42 11.29
Tq,F" St q , T q qq Sa q , T q qq
᎐ 22 16
᎐ 24 18
᎐ 20 13
᎐ 22 12
᎐ 14 11
᎐ 20 ᎐
Reference drugs Ampicillin
Concentration Žg rml. 40 20 10
14 13 ᎐
25 22 19
᎐ ᎐ ᎐
᎐ ᎐ ᎐
Gentamycin
40 20 10
24 22 17
18 16 14
25 17 16
22 15 12
Nystatin
50 25 12.5
28 26 23
26 24 21
Clotrimazole
20 10 5
43 33 30
21 19 15
a Values are the mean of four replicates; ᎐, no inhibition. Tested concentration of extracts: 50 mgrml Ž0.1 mlrcup.. B. s., Bacillus subtilis; S. a., Staphylococcus aureus; E.c., Escherichia coli; Ps.a., Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sa. c., Saccharomyces cere¨ isiae. F, flavonoids; Sa, saponins; St, sterols andror triterpenes; T, tannins; ", traces; q, low concentration; qq, medium concentration, qqq, high concentration.
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Leaves
Table 2 Activity of extracts from Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stems against clinical isolates Part used
Staphylococcus aureus Ž22.
Leaves
Leaves Stem
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ž12.
Leaves Stem
Proteus ¨ ulgaris Ž12.
Sensitivity of tested clinical isolates Ž n.a Sensitive
Stem
Escherichia coli Ž23.
Solvent
Leaves Stem
Intermediate
Resistant
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
22 11 13 0
0 9 9 2
0 2 0 20
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
23 7 16 0
0 12 7 2
0 4 0 21
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
12 2 7 0
0 10 5 1
0 0 0 11
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
12 6 9 0
0 3 3 1
0 3 0 11
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Microorganism Ž n of isolates.
a Sensitivity Žinhibition zone diameter; mean of four replicates.. Gram-positive Ž S. a..: Sensitive, ) 18 mm; Intermediate, 14᎐18 mm; Resistant, - 14 mm. Gram-negative Ž E.c.; Ps. A.; P. ¨ ..: Sensitive, ) 16 mm; Intermediate, 13᎐16 mm; Resistant, - 13 mm.
433
434
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Previously isolated constituents. No report for P. acaciae. Tannins w3x and flavonoids w4x were isolated from other Plicosepalus species. Tested material. Chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts prepared as previously described w5,6x. Yields Žon dried wt.. and results of phytochemical screening w7,8x are given in Table 1. Studied activity. Antimicrobial activity by the cup-plate agar diffusion method w9x. Used microorganisms. Standard organisms Ž Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236, Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6447, Escherichia coli NCTC 8196, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750, Candida albicans ATCC 7596, Saccharomyces cere¨ isiae NCTC 10716. obtained from the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum and clinical isolates Ž69. from various clinical specimens from Sudanese patients. Results. Reported in Table 1 Žactivity vs. standard microorganisms. and Table 2 Žsensitivity tests vs. clinical isolates.. Conclusions. All tested polar extracts of Plicosepalus acaicae leaves and stems exhibited significant antibacterial and moderate antifungal properties, the leaf methanol extract showing the highest activity against all tested standard microorganisms. Noteworthy, all clinical isolates were sensitive to this extract, confirming its potential interest.
Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Dr G.E.B. Elghazali ŽM.A.P.R.I.. for authentication of the plant, and to M.S.A. Khalifa and R.A. Eltayeb for their technical assistance.
References w1x Obatomi DK, Bikomo EO, Temple VJ. J of Ethnopharmacol 1994;43:13. w2x Elghazali GEB, Eltohami MS, Elegami AA, Abdalla WS, Mohammed MG. Medicinal plants of Northern Kordofan. Khartoum, Sudan: Omdurman Islamic Press, 1997:105. w3x Lin JH, Lin YT. J Food and Drug Anal 1999;7:185. w4x Harvala E. J of Nat Prod 1984;47:1054. w5x Almagboul AZ, Farouk A, Bashir AK, Karim A, Salih AK. Fitoterapia 1985;56:103. w6x Omer MEA, Almagboul AZ, Elegami AA. Fitoterapia 1998;69:542. w7x Wall MA. J Am Pharm Assoc 1954;43:1. w8x Farnsworth NF. J Pharm Sci 1960;55:25. w9x Kavanagh F. In: Kavanagh F, editor. Analytical microbiology, II. New York and London: Academic Press, 1972:11.
Short report
Antimicrobial activity of Plicosepalus acaciae A.A. Elegami a,U , E.I. Elnimab, A.K. Muddathir b, M.E. Omer a a
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Institute, National Centre for Research, P.O. Box 2404, Khartoum, Sudan b Uni¨ ersity of Khartoum, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 1996, Khartoum, Sudan
Received 8 October 2000; accepted in revised form 28 December 2000
Abstract The antimicrobial activities of chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stem are reported. In particular, the leaf methanol extract, showing the highest level of activity against the tested standard microorganisms, was effective also against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative clinical isolates from Sudanese patients. 䊚 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Plicosepalus acaciae; Antimicrobial activity
Plant material. Leaves and stems of Plicosepalus acaciae ŽZucc.. Weins. et Polhill. ŽLoranthaceae ., semiparasite on Acacia seyal, were collected from the Khartoum ŽSudan. botanical garden, in May 1998 and authenticated by Dr G.E.B. Elgazali ŽM.A.P.R.I.. Uses in traditional medicine. For the treatment of diabetes mellitus w1x and to enhance wound healing w2x. U
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] ŽA.A. Elegami.. 0367-326Xr01r$ - see front matter 䊚 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 3 6 7 - 3 2 6 X Ž 0 1 . 0 0 2 6 8 - 4
432
Table 1 Antimicrobial activity of extracts from Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stems a Part used
Solvent
Yield Ž%.
Phytochemical screening
Diameter of inhibition zone Žmm. B. s.
St. a.
E. c.
Ps. a.
C. a.
Sa. c.
CHCl3 MeOH H2 O
2.95 32.09 29.92
T q q, F q St " , T q qq Sa " , T q qq
14 34 24
14 32 24
12 28 18
13 29 21
᎐ 17 15
11 28 17
Stem
CHCl3 MeOH H2 O
0.97 9.42 11.29
Tq,F" St q , T q qq Sa q , T q qq
᎐ 22 16
᎐ 24 18
᎐ 20 13
᎐ 22 12
᎐ 14 11
᎐ 20 ᎐
Reference drugs Ampicillin
Concentration Žg rml. 40 20 10
14 13 ᎐
25 22 19
᎐ ᎐ ᎐
᎐ ᎐ ᎐
Gentamycin
40 20 10
24 22 17
18 16 14
25 17 16
22 15 12
Nystatin
50 25 12.5
28 26 23
26 24 21
Clotrimazole
20 10 5
43 33 30
21 19 15
a Values are the mean of four replicates; ᎐, no inhibition. Tested concentration of extracts: 50 mgrml Ž0.1 mlrcup.. B. s., Bacillus subtilis; S. a., Staphylococcus aureus; E.c., Escherichia coli; Ps.a., Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Sa. c., Saccharomyces cere¨ isiae. F, flavonoids; Sa, saponins; St, sterols andror triterpenes; T, tannins; ", traces; q, low concentration; qq, medium concentration, qqq, high concentration.
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Leaves
Table 2 Activity of extracts from Plicosepalus acaciae leaves and stems against clinical isolates Part used
Staphylococcus aureus Ž22.
Leaves
Leaves Stem
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ž12.
Leaves Stem
Proteus ¨ ulgaris Ž12.
Sensitivity of tested clinical isolates Ž n.a Sensitive
Stem
Escherichia coli Ž23.
Solvent
Leaves Stem
Intermediate
Resistant
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
22 11 13 0
0 9 9 2
0 2 0 20
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
23 7 16 0
0 12 7 2
0 4 0 21
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
12 2 7 0
0 10 5 1
0 0 0 11
MeOH H2 O MeOH H2 O
12 6 9 0
0 3 3 1
0 3 0 11
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Microorganism Ž n of isolates.
a Sensitivity Žinhibition zone diameter; mean of four replicates.. Gram-positive Ž S. a..: Sensitive, ) 18 mm; Intermediate, 14᎐18 mm; Resistant, - 14 mm. Gram-negative Ž E.c.; Ps. A.; P. ¨ ..: Sensitive, ) 16 mm; Intermediate, 13᎐16 mm; Resistant, - 13 mm.
433
434
A.A. Elegami et al. r Fitoterapia 72 (2001) 431᎐434
Previously isolated constituents. No report for P. acaciae. Tannins w3x and flavonoids w4x were isolated from other Plicosepalus species. Tested material. Chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts prepared as previously described w5,6x. Yields Žon dried wt.. and results of phytochemical screening w7,8x are given in Table 1. Studied activity. Antimicrobial activity by the cup-plate agar diffusion method w9x. Used microorganisms. Standard organisms Ž Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236, Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 6447, Escherichia coli NCTC 8196, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750, Candida albicans ATCC 7596, Saccharomyces cere¨ isiae NCTC 10716. obtained from the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum and clinical isolates Ž69. from various clinical specimens from Sudanese patients. Results. Reported in Table 1 Žactivity vs. standard microorganisms. and Table 2 Žsensitivity tests vs. clinical isolates.. Conclusions. All tested polar extracts of Plicosepalus acaicae leaves and stems exhibited significant antibacterial and moderate antifungal properties, the leaf methanol extract showing the highest activity against all tested standard microorganisms. Noteworthy, all clinical isolates were sensitive to this extract, confirming its potential interest.
Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Dr G.E.B. Elghazali ŽM.A.P.R.I.. for authentication of the plant, and to M.S.A. Khalifa and R.A. Eltayeb for their technical assistance.
References w1x Obatomi DK, Bikomo EO, Temple VJ. J of Ethnopharmacol 1994;43:13. w2x Elghazali GEB, Eltohami MS, Elegami AA, Abdalla WS, Mohammed MG. Medicinal plants of Northern Kordofan. Khartoum, Sudan: Omdurman Islamic Press, 1997:105. w3x Lin JH, Lin YT. J Food and Drug Anal 1999;7:185. w4x Harvala E. J of Nat Prod 1984;47:1054. w5x Almagboul AZ, Farouk A, Bashir AK, Karim A, Salih AK. Fitoterapia 1985;56:103. w6x Omer MEA, Almagboul AZ, Elegami AA. Fitoterapia 1998;69:542. w7x Wall MA. J Am Pharm Assoc 1954;43:1. w8x Farnsworth NF. J Pharm Sci 1960;55:25. w9x Kavanagh F. In: Kavanagh F, editor. Analytical microbiology, II. New York and London: Academic Press, 1972:11.