Antimicrobial compounds detected in Bocconia arborea extracts by a direct bioautographic method

Abstract

Background: Among the numerous in vitro methods for studying the antimicrobial activity of plant drugs, bioautography has found widespread applications, especially for the detection of new compounds in complex plant extracts. Methods: This paper describes the results obtained during the application of the bioautographic method to detect antimicrobial compounds in a chloroformic extract of leaves and stems of Bocconia arborea, a plant used profusely in traditional medicine for the treatment of diverse infectious diseases. Results and Conclusions: The method allows for the detection of spots of growth inhibition of cultures directly in the extract thin layer chromatographic plate previously dispersed with a broth culture containing the microorganisms. The procedure also allowed for the detection of the presence of several products in the B. arborea extract with considerable activity against five different microorganisms. Additionally, the method allowed the determination that the antimicrobial activity is due to compounds of probable alkaloid origin.