Antimicrobial activity of the methanolic bark extract of Holarrhena pubescens (Buch. Ham), its fractions and the pure compound conessine

Nat Prod Res. 2012;26(11):987-92. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2010.537268. Epub 2011 Aug 11.

Abstract

The antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of the bark of Holarrhena pubescens, its fractions, and conessine, a steroidal alkaloid, was determined against various bacteria and fungi using the agar diffusion method. They were all found to possess significant activity against some of the bacteria tested. The alkaloidal fraction and conessine also exhibited marginal activity against some of the fungi tested. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of conessine was determined against various bacteria, and the highest activity was seen against Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 (MIC: 15.6 µg per disc).

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Fungi / drug effects
  • Holarrhena / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Methanol / chemistry
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Bark / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • conessine
  • Methanol