title: Antimicrobial, antimycobacterial and antibiofilm properties of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. fruit extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Couroupita guianensis Aubl. (Lecythidaceae) is commonly called Ayahuma and the Cannonball tree. It is distributed in the tropical regions of northern South America and Southern Caribbean. It has several medicinal properties. It is used to treat hypertension, tumours, pain, inflammatory processes, cold, stomach ache, skin diseases, malaria, wounds and toothache.
  
  
  METHODS
  The fruits of Couroupita guianensis were extracted with chloroform. Antimicrobial, antimycobacterial and antibiofilm forming activities of the chloroform extract were investigated. Quantitative estimation of Indirubin, one of the major constituent, was identified by HPLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chloroform extract showed good antimicrobial and antibiofilm forming activities; however it showed low antimycobacterial activity. The zones of inhibition by chloroform extract ranged from 0 to 26 mm. Chloroform extract showed effective antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa starting from 2 mg/mL BIC, with 52% inhibition of biofilm formation. When the chloroform extract was subjected to HPLC-DAD analysis, along with Indirubin standard, in the same chromatographic conditions, it was found that Indirubin was one of the major compounds in this plant (0.0918% dry weight basis).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The chloroform extract showed good antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties. Chloroform extract can be evaluated further in drug development programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. naif-al-dhabi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Naif Abdullah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Dhabi
authors.forename: Chandrasekar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.forename: Michael Karunai
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Veeramuthu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duraipandiyan
authors.forename: Chinnasamy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muthukumar
authors.forename: Savarimuthu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ignacimuthu
authors.forename: Inshad Ali
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Vikrant Singh
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Rajput
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D031381:Lecythidaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts