Antibacterial activity of extracts and neolignans from Piper regnellii (Miq.) C. DC. var. pallescens (C. DC.) Yunck

The evaluation of the activity of the aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of the leaves of Piper regnellii was tested against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The aqueous extract displayed a weak activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 1000 micrograms/ml. The ethyl acetate extract presented a good activity against S. aureus and B. subtilis with MIC and MBC at 15.62 micrograms/ml. In contrast to the relative low MICs for gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria were not inhibited by the extracts at concentrations < or = 1000 mg/ml. The ethyl acetate extract was fractionated on silica gel into nine fractions. The hexane and chloroform fractions were active against S. aureus (MIC at 3.9 micrograms/ml) and B. subtilis (MIC at 3.9 and 7.8 micrograms/ml, respectively). Using bioactivity-directed fractionation, the hexane fraction was rechromatographed to yield the antimicrobial compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6 identified as eupomatenoid-6, eupomatenoid-5, eupomatenoid-3, and conocarpan, respectively. The pure compounds 1 and 2 showed a good activity against S. aureus with MIC of 1.56 micrograms/ml and 3.12 micrograms/ml, respectively. Both compounds presented MIC of 3.12 micrograms/ml against B. subtilis. The pure compound 6 named as conocarpan was quite active against S. aureus and B. subtilis with MIC of 6.25 micrograms/ml. The antibacterial properties of P. regnellii justify its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds, contaminated through bacteria infections.