title: Antimicrobial steroidal saponin and oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins from Paullinia pinnata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) is an African woody vine, which is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of human malaria, erectile dysfunction and bacterial infections. A phytochemical investigation of its methanol leaf and stem extracts led to the isolation of seven compounds which were evaluated for their antimicrobial properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The extracts were fractionated and compounds were isolated by chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated from their spectroscopic data in conjunction with those reported in literature. The antimicrobial activities of the crude extracts, fractions and compounds were evaluated against bacteria, yeasts and dermatophytes using the broth micro-dilution technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven compounds: 2-O-methyl-L-chiro-inositol (1), β-sitosterol (2), friedelin (3), 3β-(β-D-Glucopyranosyloxy) stigmast-5-ene (4), (3β)-3-O-(2'-Acetamido-2'-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranosyl) oleanolic acid (5), (3β,16α-hydroxy)-3-O-(2'-Acetamido-2'-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranosyl) echinocystic acid (6) and (3β)-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1″-3')-2'-acetamido-2'-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranosyl]oleanolic acid (7) were isolated. Compounds 5 and 7 showed the best antibacterial and anti-yeast activities respectively (MIC value range of 0.78-6.25 and 1.56-6.25 μg/ml), while 6 exhibited the best anti-dermatophytic activity (MIC value range of 6.25-25 μg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present findings could be considered interesting, taking into account the global disease burden of these susceptible microorganisms, in conjunction with the search for alternative and complementary medicines.
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lunga
authors.forename: Xu-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Xing W
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jules-Roger
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kuiate
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Microbiology and Antimicrobial Substances, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P,O, Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. duzhizhi@mail.kib.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zhi Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Donatien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gatsing
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D032126:Paullinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; C413246:oleanane; D009828:Oleanolic Acid