title: Isolation and characterization of a bactericidal withanolide from Physalis virginiana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physalis virginiana (Virginia Groundcherry) is a member of the family Solenaceae. Several species of the Physalis genus have been used traditionally by American Indians as medicinal treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated the antibacterial activity of chemicals extracted from P. virginiana through antibacterial disc and cytotoxicity assays. Isolation and purification of an antimicrobial compound was achieved through flash chromatography and preparative HPLC. Finally, identification of chemical structure was determined from (1)H and (13)C NMR and MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Disc assays showed that crude ethanol extracts were effective antibacterial agents against one gram-negative and seven gram-positive bacterial strains. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that it is less toxic than gentamicin controls. Isolation of the active component showed it to be a relatively polar compound. (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts together with HRMS indicated a similar structure to withanolides previously identified from Physalis angulata. HRMS analysis showed a molecular mass of 472.2857 which corresponds to a molecular formula C(28)H(40)O(6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An antibacterial withanolide was isolated from P. virginiana using flash chromatography and HPLC separations. The chemical structure was determined by NMR and MS to be the withanolide physagulin V.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: R Neil
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: Fathi T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Halaweish
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren