title: Anti-bacterial activity of some Brazilian medicinal plants.
abstract: Extracts from various organs of 25 plants of Brazilian traditional medicine were assayed with respect to their anti-bacterial activities against Escherichia coli, a susceptible strain of Staphylococcus aureus and two resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus harbouring the efflux pumps NorA and MsrA. Amongst the 49 extracts studied, 14 presented anti-bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, including the ethanolic extracts from the rhizome of Jatropha elliptica, from the stem barks of Schinus terebinthifolius and Erythrina mulungu, from the stems and leaves of Caesalpinia pyramidalis and Serjania lethalis, and from the stem bark and leaves of Lafoensia pacari. The classes of compounds present in the active extracts were determined as a preliminary step towards their bioactivity-guided separation. No extracts were active against Escherichia coli.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química-CCEN, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Cidade Universitária 57.072-970, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Raquel Ferreira
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Souza Luna
authors.forename: Aldenir Feitosa
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Maria Cristina Caño
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Antônio Euzébio Goulart
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Genet
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marquez
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neuville
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moreau
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents