Estimation of triterpenoids from Heliotropium marifolium Koen. ex Retz. invivo and in vitro. I. Antimicrobial screening

The hexane extract of Heliotropium marifolium yielded a mixture of triterpe noids: beta -sitosterol, stigmasterol, beta -amyrin, friedelan-3 beta -ol ( epifriedelenol), cycloartenone, beta -amyrin acetate, friedelin and epifrie denyl acetate, Isolated triterpenoid and reference antibiotics (gentamycin/ mycostatin) were tested against selected pathogenic bacteria and fungi, e.g . Escherichia coil, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Penicilliu m chrysogenum. The inhibition zone (IZ) and the activity index (AI) of isol ated compounds were recorded and it was found that epifriedenyl acetate (IZ = 17; AI = 1.06) was the most active. The present study deals with the qua ntification and assessment of their growth inhibitory potency. It has been reported that cycloartenone was the major triterpenoid in both in vivo (0.5 4%) and in vitro (0.11%) cell cultures. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Son s, Ltd.