title: Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities from Jatropha dioica roots.
abstract: The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of organic extracts obtained from roots of the medicinal plant Jatropha dioica (Euphorbiaceae) were investigated. In order to evaluate their antimicrobial activity, the organic extracts were tested against clinical isolates of the human pathogens Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella typhimurium, Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Sporothrix schenckii. Results revealed that the hexane extract possess the stronger activity and a broader microbicide spectrum compared to the acetone and ethanol extracts. The activity of hexane extract may be attributed in part to the presence of β-sitosterol, the major compound identified by bioautography. The hexane extract, as well as the bioactive fraction were not cytotoxic when assays were profiled against the normal cell lines Chang, OK and LLCPK-1 (IC50>1000 μg mL(-1)).
authors.forename: Yesenia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Silva-Belmares
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rivas-Morales
authors.forename: Ezequiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viveros-Valdez
authors.forename: María Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: de la Cruz-Galicia
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carranza-Rosales
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D031286:Jatropha / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic