Sesquiterpenoids from hexane extract of Echinophora platyloba aerial parts

Abstract

<strong>Background and objectives:</strong> <em>Echinophora platyloba</em> is used for flavoring foods, cheese and yoghurt. Despite several pharmacological studies on the plant, no attempt has been made to isolate the non-volatile secondary metabolites and assess the antimicrobial effects. So, phytochemical investigation seems to be useful for better use of this plant. <strong>Methods: </strong><em>E. platyloba</em> aerial parts were extracted with hexane by Soxhlet apparatus and fractionated. The subfractions were purified using HPLC and analyzed by ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, COSY and Mass spectroscopy. Different extracts with hexane, dichloromethane and acetone solvents through were prepared Soxhlet method. The extracts were individually tested against three gram-Negative (<em>E. coli, S. flexneri, A. baumannii</em>) and two Gram-positive bacteria (<em>S. aureus, E. fecalis</em>) by microdilution methods. The susceptibility of E<em>. coli, S. flexneri, A. baumannii, E. fecalis</em> isolates to gentamycin and <em>S. aureus to oxacillin</em> was assessed. <strong>Results: </strong>A branch of fatty acids and triglycerides were obtained along with polyoxygenated sesquiterpenoid, vaginatin. MIC of the hexane extract against bacterium 1 was 512 µg/mL. MIC of ethanol extract against bacterial 1 to 4, were 2048, 512, 2048 and 2048 µg/mL, respectively. MIC of other extract were equal higher than 4096 µg/mL.<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Vaginatin was reported for the first time as a sesquiterpenoid from <em>Echinophora</em> genus. The ethanol extract was the most and dichlormethane extract the least effective extract. <em>A. baummannii</em> was the most susceptible organism to the hexan extract compared to other extracts.