title: Antimicrobial Activity and Chromatographic Analysis of Extracts from Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. Tubers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. tubers (Tropaeolaceae) are known and used as a condiment and for the treatment of skin infections in Southern Brazil. However, its activity and composition has not yet been investigated. Thus, different extracts and the essential oil from the tubers were tested against a range of microorganisms. The most active extracts were submitted to chromatographic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hydroalcoholic extract (70%), fractions of it, and the essential oil from the tubers were tested against several bacteria, yeasts and molds, furnishing the corresponding inhibitory, bactericidal and fungicidal minimal concentration values. The most active extracts were submitted to GC-MS investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The strongest effects against different strains of microorganisms, such as Gram-positive and negative bacteria, Candida spp. and dermatophytes were observed for the essential oil and the chloroform fraction, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) well below 200 µg/mL. GC-MS analysis revealed that the major essential oil constituent is benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), while the chloroform fraction is constituted of BITC, amides, sulfur, fatty acids and its esters, all compounds that may be related to the demonstrated activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the results support the popular use of the plant for the treatment of skin infections, and revealed the main active compounds.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 26, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. ritieldc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ritiel Corrêa
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 20, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. laura-denardi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura Bedin
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Denardi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 26, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. natimossmann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Natalia Jank
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mossmann
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 26, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. marianapiana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piana
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 20, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. sydneyalves.ufsm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sydney Hartz
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima 1000, Block 26, Santa Maria 97105-900, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. marlimatiko@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Marli Matiko Anraku
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de Campos
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000737:chemistry*; D032388:Tropaeolum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Tropaeolum pentaphyllum; antibacterial; antifungal; benzyl isothiocyanate; essential oil