Antimicrobial activity of Symplocos cochinensis.

The methanol extracts of leaves, root and stem barks of Symplocos cochinchinensis and their fractions obtained by partition (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate) were screened for antimicrobial activity. All the crude extracts and fractions showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, that was enhanced on fractionation. None of them showed activity against the tested moulds.     

Antimicrobial activity of Micrechites novoguineensis

The methanol extracts of Micrechites novoguineensis, leaves and stem bark were partitioned (petrol, ethyl acetate, methanol). All obtained fractions showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, while only the leaf ethyl acetate fraction showed activity against moulds.     

Antibacterial activity of Picrasma javanica

The methanol extracts of Picrasma javanica, leaves, seeds, stem and root barks were partitioned (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol). All obtained extracts and fractions showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, while none was active against the tested moulds.     

Antimicrobial activity of Psychotria microlabastra.

The methanol extracts of leaves, root and stem barks of Psychotria microlabastra showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, that was increased on fractionation (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate), particularly in the ethyl acetate fractions. None of the extractives showed activity against the tested moulds.     

Cytotoxic activity of some Asarum plants

The cytotoxic activity against some tumor cell lines of 16 commonly used species of Asarum was evaluated in this study. All of these plants were widely used in Asian countries as traditional medicines or folk medicines. Their inhibitory activities against four tumor cell lines (HL-60, BGC-823, KB and Bel-7402) were compared. It was observed that 10 of the tested extracts (eight ethanol extracts and two water extracts) among 32 extracts of these plants showed cytotoxic activity. Those 95% ethanol extractions from A. caudigerellum, A. forbesii, A. inflatum and A. maximum exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity, and 95% ethanol extracts or water extracts of A. sieboldii var. seoulense, A. himalaicum, A. splendens and A. crispulatum showed selective activity against one or two cells among the tested tumor cells. This is the first report of Asarum plants possessing cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.     

Antimicrobial activity of Castanopsis acuminatissima

The methanol extracts of Castanopsis acuminatissima leaves, stem and root barks were partitioned (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate). Though all of the crude methanolic extracts and obtained fractions from them, showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, in most cases the activity was decreased on fractionation. None was active against tested moulds.     

Antimicrobial activity of the Derris elliptica, Derris indica and Derris trifoliata extractives

Various parts of Derris elliptica, Derris indica and Derris trifoliata on fractionation with a number of solvents (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and methanol) gave fractions which demonstrated a varied level of broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Good activity was exhibited by the methanol fractions of the leaves and root heart-wood, petrol, butanol and methanol fractions of the root bark of D. indica and petrol and ethyl acetate fractions of D. trifoliata. None of the plants showed antifungal activity.     

Antibacterial activity of Mappia foetida leaves and stem

Successive petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts of Mappia foetida leaves and stem were tested for their antibacterial activity. The methanol fractions were found to be most effective against all the tested organisms.     

Nepetalactone content in shoot cultures of three endemic Nepeta species and the evaluation of their antimicrobial activity

Rapid micropropagation of Nepeta rtanjensis, N. sibirica and N. nervosa was performed. Qualitative and quantitative nepetalactone content in methanol extracts of in vitro grown plants was analysed by reverse-phase HPLC coupled with UV and MS detection. Only trans,cis-nepetalactone was detected in shoots of N. rtanjensis, while cis,trans-nepetalactone stereoisomer was present in N. sibirica. No nepetalactone was observed in shoots of N. nervosa. The antimicrobial activity of methanol extracts, against eight bacterial and eight fungal species, was evaluated. All the tested extracts showed significant antibacterial and strong antifungal activity. However, N. rtanjensis extract exhibited the best antimicrobial potential.     

Antimicrobial activity of Evodia elleryana.

The methanol extracts of Evodia elleryana, leaves, stem wood, stem bark, root wood and root bark were partitioned (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate). All obtained fractions showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, while none were active against tested moulds.     

Antibacterial activity of Leonurus sibiricus aerial parts

Different solvent extracts (carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, acetone and methanol) of Leonurus sibiricus were studied for their antibacterial activity. Carbon tetrachloride and chloroform extracts showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.     

Antibacterial spectrum of Hypericum hookerianum.

The antibacterial activity of the chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts of Hypericum hookerianum leaves and stems was evaluated. All extracts showed antibacterial activity against six different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, the methanol extracts exhibiting the maximum inhibitory activity at 400 microg/ml.     

Antimicrobial activity of Terminalia complanata and Flacourtia zippelii

A broad spectrum of antibacterial activity was exhibited by the methanol extracts of leaves, root and stem barks of Terminalia complanata and Flacourtia zippelii and their subsequent fractions (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate). Fractionation enhanced the activity particularly in the ethyl acetate fractions of the stem and root barks of T. complanata. No activity was observed against the moulds.     

Antimicrobial activity of Clematis papuasica and Nauclea obversifolia.

The methanol extracts of Clematis papuasica leaves and stem bark and of Nauclea obversifolia leaves, stem and root barks showed awide spectrum of antibacterial activity which was increased on fractionation (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate), the ethyl acetate fractions being in all cases the most effective. None of the extractives was active against tested moulds.     

Antimicrobial activity of the Maniltoa schefferi extracts

All fractions of Maniltoa schefferi exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. Good activity was demonstrated by the petrol and dichloromethane fractions of seed pods, seeds with coat and by methanol fractions of stem heartwood, root bark, root heartwood and stem bark whose butanol fraction was equally good. None of the fractions showed any antifungal activity.     

Antimicrobial activity of Datura innoxia and Datura stramonium

The antibacterial activity of the methanol extracts of the aerial parts of the Datura innoxia and Datura stramonium was investigated. The extracts showed activity against Gram (+) bacteria in a dose dependent manner. Little or no antibacterial activity was found against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Antimicrobial activity of Harpullia ramiflora

The methanol extracts of Harpullia ramiflora, leaves, flowers, stem and root barks were partitioned (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate). In respect to crude extracts, all fractions demonstrated broader spectrum and higher levels of antibacterial activity. The ethyl acetate fraction of the flowers exhibited the highest activity. No activity was shown against the tested moulds.     

Larvicidal activity of saponin containing extracts and fractions of fruit mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca

Chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and methanol extracts of fruit mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca and five fractions from the methanol extract were tested against the Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae. All extracts showed larvicidal effects however the highest larval mortality was found in methanol extract. One fraction obtained from the silica gel column chromatography of the latter was found most effective for larval mortality. This fraction also interfered with adult emergence. A concentration of 0.0014% (w/v) of this active fraction showed inhibition of the 50% of the test larval population from emerging adults (EC(50)). The analysis of total saponin content of these tested extracts and fractions revealed a strong correlation between saponin content and larval mortality.     

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Carthamus lanatus

Total dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts, their fractions as well as volatiles of Carthamus lanatus aerial parts were phytochemically screened and evaluated for antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activity. The H(2)O/MeOH fraction of the CH(2)Cl(2) extract exhibited noticeable antibacterial activity. The same fraction and the volatiles showed significant cytotoxic activity.     

Antibacterial effect of Dryopteris crassirhizoma against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methanol extract and its fractions (hexane, EtOAc, n-BuOH, and H2O) of Dryopteris crassirhizoma were investigated for antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The hexane fraction showed a good antibacterial activity against all tested strains.