Antimicrobial activity of the crude extract, fractions and compounds from stem bark of Ficus ovata (Moraceae)

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 124; no. 3; pp. 556 - 561
• Main Authors: Kuete, Victor, Nana, Frédéric, Ngameni, Bathélémy, Mbaveng, Armelle Tsafack, Keumedjio, Félix, Ngadjui, Bonaventure Tchaleu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 30-07-2009; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acetic acid; animal pathogenic bacteria; animal pathogenic fungi; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antimicrobial activity; antimicrobial properties; Bacteria - drug effects; bark; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Candida albicans; Compounds; Culture Media; dosage; dose response; Ficus; Ficus - chemistry; Ficus ovata; fractionation; Fractions; fungi; Fungi - drug effects; General pharmacology; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Methanol; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; minimum inhibitory concentration; minimum microbicidal concentration; Moraceae; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; phytochemicals; Plant Bark - chemistry; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Stems - chemistry; Solvents; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Antimicrobial activity; Moraceae; Compounds; Fractions; Ficus ovata; Pharmacognosy; Bark; Extract; Woody plant; Antimicrobial agent; Stem; Medicinal plant; Ficus; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.05.003

This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial activities of the methanol extracts from the stem bark of
Ficus ovata (FOB), fractions (FOB1–6) and compounds isolated following bio-guided fractionation [3-friedelanone (
1), taraxeryl acetate (
2), betulinic acid (
3), oleanoïc acid (
4), 2-hydroxyisoprunetin (
5), 6,7-(2-isopropenyl furo)-5,2,4-trihydroxyisoflavone (
6), Cajanin (
7) and protocatechuic acid (
8)].
The micro-dilution method was used for the determination of the minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and the minimal microbicidal concentration (MMC) against fungi (two species), Gram-positive (three species) and Gram-negative bacteria (five species).
The results of the MIC determinations indicated that the crude extract (FOB), fractions FOB2 and FOB4 as well as compound
5 were active on the entire studied organisms. Other samples showed selective activity, fractions FOB1, FOB3 and FOB5 being active against 50% of the tested microbial species while FOB6 was active on 40%. Compounds
8,
6,
2 and
7 prevented the growth of 80%, 70%, 50% and 20% of the organisms respectively. The lowest MIC value (156g/ml) observed with the crude extract was recorded on
Streptococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and
Microsporum audouinii. The corresponding value for fractions (39
μg/ml) was noted with FOB4 against
Staphylococcus aureus, while that of the tested compounds (10
μg/ml) was observed with compound
8 on
Microsporum audouinii. The results of the MMC determination suggested that the cidal effect of most of the tested samples on the studied microorganisms could be expected.
The overall results provided evidence that the studied plant extract, as well as some of the isolated compounds might be potential sources of new antimicrobial drug.