Planta Med 2014; 80 - P1L96
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394753

Antimicrobial effects of aerial parts from Algerian centaury

H Zater 1, 2, A Boudjerda 1, J Huet 3, SO Ribeiro 2, S Benayache 1, V Fontaine 4, C Stévigny 2, P Duez 2, 5, F Benayache 1
  • 1Unité de recherche Valorisation des Ressources Naturelles, Molécules Bioactives et Analyses Physicochimiques et Biologiques (VARENBIOMOL), Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université Constantine 1, 25000 Constantine, Algeria
  • 2Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Bromatologie et de Nutrition Humaine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
  • 3Laboratoire de Biopolymère et nanomatériaux supramoléculaire, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
  • 4Laboratoire de Microbiologie Pharmaceutique et Hygiène, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
  • 5Service de Chimie Thérapeutique et de Pharmacognosie, Université de Mons (UMONS), Belgium

The genus Centaurea (Asteraceae) comprises more than 500 species, most of them growing around the Mediterranea and in Western Asia [1]. The Centaurea species have long been used for their biological properties, mainly as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, cytotoxic, antibacterial, antiproliferative and antifungal [2]. Phytochemical researches revealed that flavonoids, lignans and sesquiterpene lactones [2, 3] are mainly responsible for major pharmacological properties. The aim of the study was to research the antimicrobial and antifungal activities of Centaurea diluta Aiton subsp. algeriensis (Coss. & Durieu) Maire (Algerian Centaury); the aerial parts of the herb were harvested in Djelfa and authenticated by specialists of the National Herbarium of Belgium where a voucher specimen has been deposited N° BR0000013666187. The extraction of the aerial parts was performed successively with petroleum ether, CHCl3, EtOAc, n-butanol, MeOH and water [3, 4]. The organic phases were dried with Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated to obtain the extracts. Minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of the plant extracts were determined by microdilution methods against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 methicillin-sensible (MSSA). All of these extracts were also tested against phytopathogens, including Fusarium oxysporum (a sporulating and a non sporulating form), Cladosporium cucumerinum, Botrytis cinereae, Colletotricum lagenarium, Rhodotorula aurantiaca, Pseudomonas syringae. These preliminary data indicate that only the petroleum ether extract was active against Fusarium oxysporum (non sporulating form) (MIC: 62.5 µg/ml) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (MIC: 500 µg/ml). This extract will be further fractionated to isolate the active compound(s) and elucidate their structures.

Keywords: Centaurea diluta, antifungal, antimicrobial, MIC

References:

[1] Mabberley, D. J. (1997) The Plant Book. second edition. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. p. 138.

[2] Djeddi, S. et al. (2008) Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 36: 336 – 339.

[3] El Hadj, K. et al. (2012)J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 23: 977 – 983.

[4] López-Rodríguez, M. et al. (2009) Acta Cryst. E65: 1867 – 1868.