Evaluation of the flora of Puerto Rico for in vitro antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial activities

The emergence of resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum and Mycobacteri um tuberculosis underscores the need for novel drugs that are effective aga inst these microorganisms. As part of our screening programme of the flora of Puerto Rico, we tested a number of ethanol extracts of higher plants for antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial activities. A total of 40 extracts be longing to 23 plant families and 37 species were tested for antiplasmodial activity. Five extracts demonstrated activity against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro (50%-100% parasite suppression at 5 mug/mL). Another 63 extracts belonging to 30 plant families and 50 species were tested in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Two extracts were found to be active, Ficus cit rifolia and Pisonia borinquena (85% or more inhibition of microbial growth at 100 mug/mL of extract). Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.