A comparative study of antituberculosis activities of Tetracera macrophylla Wall. Ex Hook. f. &thoms. stem fractions using different chromatographic stationary phases

Abstract

Mempelas (Tetracera macrophylla Wall. Ex Hook. f. & Thoms) is a climbing liana that has been used by several ethnics in Malaysia for its medicinal values. In regards to tuberculosis (TB) therapy, T. macrophylla has ethnobotanically demonstrated promising anti-TB activities. Current research aimed to determine the anti-TB activities of T. macrophylla stem fractions eluted from two different stationary phases via column chromatographic technique. T. macrophylla stems were extracted using semi-polar solvent via maceration method. Two portions of the extract were fractionated through column chromatography using Silica (Si) gel 60 and Mitsubishi Chemical Ion (MCI®) gel. Eluted fractions were monitored via pre-coated Si gel 60 F254 aluminium plates as thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Anti-TB bioassay were conducted via the employment of Tetrazolium Microplate Assay (TEMA) procedure. Fractionation of the extract has resulted in the elution of 12 and 16 combined fractions from MCI® gel and Si gel 60, respectively. TEMA result has revealed that none of the combined fractions eluted from MCI® gel inhibited the test organism, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra. On contrary, 7 of 16 fractions as eluted from Si gel 60 inhibited M. tuberculosis H37Ra at Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) ranging from 400 to 800 µg/ml. The results from this study has led to the conclusion that Si gel 60 is a more suitable stationary phase to be used in fractionating plant extracts for TB research.