Planta Med 2014; 80 - LP19
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1395079

Isolation and identification of volatile bioactive compounds with anti-Helicobacter pylori activity from honey chloroform extracts

CE Manyi-Loh 1, RN Ndip 1, 2, AM Clarke 1
  • 1Microbial Pathogenicity and Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, P/Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
  • 2Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Box 63, Buea, Cameroon

Background: Honey has been reported to have great potential to serve as alternative source of bioactive molecules that could be employed in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections.

Aims: To isolate and identify volatile compounds with anti-H. pylori activity from honey chloroform extracts.

Methods: The chloroform extracts of Pure Honey (PH) and Champagne Royal Train (CRT) were fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform and subsequently with the solvent systems, n-hexane: ethyl acetate: acetic acid (S1) or methanol: acetic acid: water (S2) respectively, by column chromatography. The yielded fractions were evaluated for anti-H. pylori activity by broth microdilution assay. Volatile compounds in the active fractions were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. MINITAB was used for statistical analysis at 95% confidence interval.

Results: All the fractions obtained with S1 solvent system demonstrated potent anti-H. pylori activity with PHF5 being the most active with a mean MIC50 value of 1.25 mg/ml that was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from amoxicillin (mean MIC 0.94 mg/mL). Chemical analysis of the fractions led to the identification of 24 volatile compounds belonging to known chemical families present in honey. From these, the pure compound, linalool demonstrated potent antibacterial activity at a concentration of 2 – 31.3 µg/ml with inhibitory activity of 95% growth inhibition. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was in the range 3.9 – 31.3 µg/ml. Thiophene and N-methyl-D3-aziridine compounds (small heterocyclic compounds which serve as essential intermediates in the synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals endowed with immense biomedical activities) were novel compounds identified in this study.

Conclusions: Thus the solvent extracts and fractions of these honeys could serve as potential anti-H. pylori regimen with therapeutic potential.

Keywords: Honey, chloroform extracts, chromatogarphy, antimicrobial activity, volatiles, linalool