Antibacterial activity and phytochemical analysis of Vochysia divergens (Vochysiaceae)

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 97 - 100
• Main Authors: Hess, Sônia C., Brum, Rosenei L., Honda, Neli K., Cruz, Alexandre B., Moretto, Eliane, Cruz, Rosana B., Messana, Irene, Ferrari, Franco, Filho, Valdir Cechinel, Yunes, Rosendo A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 07.07.1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial activity; antibacterial properties; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - isolation & purification; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; bark; Betulinic acid; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; chemical composition; Escherichia coli - drug effects; General pharmacology; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Medical sciences; Medicine, Traditional; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oleanolic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Oleanolic Acid - isolation & purification; Oleanolic Acid - pharmacology; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Stems - metabolism; Sericic acid; Sitosterols - isolation & purification; Sitosterols - pharmacology; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; stems; traditional medicine; trees; Triterpenes - isolation & purification; Triterpenes - pharmacology; Vochysia divergens; Vochysiaceae; β-Sitosterol; Brazil; South America; America; Antibacterial activity; β-Sitosterol; Sericic acid; Vochysiaceae; Betulinic acid; Vochysia divergens; Folk medicine; Pharmacognosy; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Bark; Plant origin; Spermatophyta; Antibacterial agent; Biological activity; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(95)01260-K

Vochysia divergens Pohl (Vochysiaceae) is a tree commonly found in wet soils of ‘Pantanal’ of Mato Grosso, Brazil, and used in folk medicine against infections and asthma. We have studied different extracts and some isolated compounds from this plant for antibacterial activity. From the extracts of the stem bark β-sitosterol, betulinic acid and sericic acid were isolated. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Staphylococcus aureus were: ethanolic extract (MIC = 1.5 mg/ml); ethyl acetate extract (MIC = 2.0 mg/ml); and sericic acid (MIC = 1.0 mg/ml). Escherichia coli was resistant until 5 mg/ml.