title: Antibacterial activity of extract, fractions and four compounds extracted from Piper solmsianum C. DC. VAR. solmsianum (Piperaceae).
abstract: Piper solmsianum C. DC. var. solmsianum (Piperaceae) is a shrub commonly found in areas with wet tropical soils. Other Piper species have been used in folk medicine as antitumoral and antiseptic agents. We studied the crude methanolic extract, some organic fractions and compounds isolated from this plant for possible antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The bioautographic assays disclosed three inhibition zones. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined showing excellent activity, particularly against the Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Streptococcus agalactiae). It appears that the antimicrobial activity of Piper solmsianum is related mainly to the presence of conocarpan and eupomatenoid-5 (neolignans). However another, as yet unidentified, active compound could also be extracted from the plant.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Mestrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas/CCS and Núcleo de Investigações Químico-Farmacêuticas (NIQFAR), Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Rua Uruguai 458, 88302-202 Itajaí, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Valdir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cechinel Filho
authors.forename: Rosi Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Rosendo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yunes
authors.forename: Franco D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Monache
authors.forename: Alexandre Bella
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001938:Brazil; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D031701:Piper / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts