Assessment of antistaphylococcal activity of partially purified fractions and pure compounds from Eleutherine americana.
Ready-to-eat foods were investigated for contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and the partially purified fractions from the bulb of Eleutherine americana were evaluated for their anti-MRSA activity. Partially purified fractions Ea6.3 and Ea9 demonstrated good antibacterial activity with a MIC of 125 to 500 microg/ml and MBC of 250 to > or =1000 microg/ml against all the food isolates. Fraction Ea6.3 produced a MIC and MBC of 250 and 500 microg/ml, respectively, whereas fraction Ea9 yielded MIC and MBC of 125 and > or =1000 microg/ml, respectively, against the enterotoxin-producing reference strains. Growth curves in the presence of fraction Ea6.3 at 4 x MIC resulted in total elimination of all the test strains between 20 and 24 h, while fraction Ea9 reduced bacterial population by at least 6 log relative to the control. The partially purified fractions were further purified to obtain pure compounds identified as eleutherol, eleutherin, isoeleutherin, hongconin, two anthraquinones, and elecanacin. The antibacterial activities of these compounds were also investigated; they produced MICs ranging from 31.25 to > or =1000 microg/ml. This study suggests that E. americana crude extract or its partially purified fractions have potentials for application as natural food preservatives.
Department of Microbiology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand.
Beatrice Olawumi
BO
Ifesan
Chulida
C
Hamtasin
Wilawan
W
Mahabusarakam
Supayang Piyawan
SP
Voravuthikunchai
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D027621:Iridaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts