Planta Med 2013; 79 - PJ56
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352260

Phenolic Compounds and Antimicrobial Activity of Inula sarana Boiss.

O Özhan 1, A Gökbulut 1, S Günal 2, E Şarer 1
  • 1Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacognosy 06100 Tandoğan, Ankara-TURKEY
  • 2İnönü University Faculty of Pharmacy Department of Microbiology 44280 Malatya-TURKEY

The genus Inula (Asteraceae) has more than hundred species distributed mainly in Europe, Africa and Asia. Inula species are used as a folk medicine due to their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antipyretic, hepatoprotective, antitussive and expectorant effects (1). Inula sarana Boiss. is an endemic herb growing wild in southern Turkey (2). Up to now, only one study on this plant has been conducted in Turkey (3). In the coarse of our continuing search on the Inula species, we investigated the total phenolic content, phenolic compounds and the antimicrobial activity of different parts of Inula sarana. Total phenolic content of the plant was estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The higher amount of total phenolics was found in the aerial parts of the plant. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phenolic compounds were performed by RP-HPLC. Our results revealed that while all the investigated parts of the plant contain chlorogenic and ferulic acids; the flowers and leaves also contain gallic acid and luteolin; apigenin was determined only in the flowers. Antimicrobial activity of the flower, leaf and root extracts of the plant were assayed against S. aureus, E. faecalis, A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, P. vulgaris, E. aerogenes, E. coli, C. albicans and C. tropicalis by using agar dilution method. The flower and root extracts were found to be more active against yeasts compared to bacteria. The flower extract exhibited the most effective antibacterial activity against S. aureus and K. pneumoniae, while the leaf extract is very potent against S. aureus and E. coli.

References:

[1] Zhao, Y-M. et al. (2006) Chem. Biodivers., 3:371 – 384.

[2] Davis, P.H. (1982) Flora of the Turkey and The East Aegean Islands, Vol 5, University Press, Edinburgh.

[3] Kirimer, N. et al. (2009) Planta Med., 75(4):421.