Antibacterial potency of acyclic diester, oleic acid, and -amyrin tetradecanoate from and against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

INTRODUCTION

The increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has led to the search of new and effective antimicrobial agents. Natural products from plants may, therefore, serve as alternative sources of substances for the treatment of these infections. Traditional practitioners use concoctions of and extracts for the treatment of wounds, skin diseases, coughs, ulcers, and intestinal ailments. This is because they are rich in potent antibacterial compounds. The objective of this study was to isolate bioactive compounds from and using bioassay-guided fractionation.

METHODS

Bioactivity testing was performed against selected microbes using disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods, as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Pure compounds were isolated using chromatographic procedures, and their structures were elucidated based on 1D and 2D NMR analyses.

RESULTS

Fractionation yielded two fatty acids, namely, 5-(2, 5-dimethylhexyl) 1-isopentyl 3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanedioate (acyclic diester) () and oleic acid () from and , respectively. In addition, yields terpenoid -amyrin tetradecanoate (). The three compounds were selectively active against the tested microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 25.0 mg/mL and 100.0 mg/mL shown by oleic acid and -amyrin tetradecanoate against , respectively. These two compounds were isolated and tested for antibacterial activity against this plant for the first time. In addition, an acyclic diester named 5-(2, 5-dimethylhexyl) 1-isopentyl 3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanedioate () was isolated and screened for antibacterial activity for the first time from the extracts of

CONCLUSION

and extracts and compounds showed antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. This study provides valuable insights into the development of effective antimicrobial agents.