Pharmacological and toxicological activity of Heterophyllaea pustulata antraquinone extract.

NUÑEZ MONTOYA S.C.,; AGNESE A.M.,; PÉREZ C., ; TIRABOSCHI I.N.,; CABRERA J.L.

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2003 vol. 10 p. 569 - 569

enzenic extracts from both stems and leaves of Heterophyllaea pustulata showed the most significantactivity in vivo in the Brine Shrimp Lethally Test (BST), relative to others of different polarity.They were therefore selected for in vitro antimicrobial activity studies. Bacteriostatic activityagainst Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 was detected, selectively inhibiting both oxacillin-sensitiveand -resistant Staphylococcus aureus, among several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterialspecies tested. Antifungal activity against important opportunist microorganisms and againstthose involved in superficial mycosis, all from nosocomial origin was also detected. A chemicalscreening revealed the presence of anthraquinones as major compounds. Among them, we identifieddamnacanthal, rubiadin, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl anthraquinone, soranjidiol, rubiadin-1-methylether, and damnacanthol in the benzenic stem extract. The benzenic leaf extract shows a s