Antibacterial activity of secondary metabolites from Fumaria parviflora Lam

We report the antibacterial activity of the plant extracts and three previously isolates known compounds viz., nonacosane-10-ol (alcohol), 23a-homostigmast-5-en-3ß-ol (homolog of β-sterol) and cisand trans-prtopinium (alkaloid) of Fumaria parviflora Lam (Fumariaceae) for the first time. Plant extracts and pure compounds were in vitro assessed against seven clinical Gram (-) and Gram (+) bacteria viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi. Bacterial culture was maintained on Mueller-Hinton agar nutrient slants and the tested strains were evaluated following well diffusion test, agar dilution method and minimum inhibitory concentration. The zone of inhibition (IZ) and the activity index (AI) were maximum for Gram (-) Escherichia coli (IZ = 28 ± 0.9; AI = 0.93 ± 0.3), Klebsiella pneumonia (IZ = 22 ± 0.4; AI = 0.73 ± 0.4) and Salmonella typhi (IZ = 22 ± 0.4; AI = 0.73 ± 0.9) and these bacteria were strongly sensitive (SS) to the nhexane root extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration value for the plant extracts was found to be in the range of 3.12 to 50.0 mg ml. The three compounds displayed strong antibacterial activity at a conc. of 100, 200 and 300 μg ml against the tested strains. The zone of inhibition of these compounds ranged from minimum (9 ± 0.9, AI = 0.3 ± 0.5) for Salmonella typhimurium to maximum (46 ± 0.9, AI = 1.53 ± 0.3) for E. coli. The cisand trans-protopinum was the most potent antibacterial compound against all the strains tested at the highest conc. of 300 μg ml. The three compounds were completely bactericidal as measured by the viable cell count studies. Fumaria parviflora derived extracts and the phytochemicals particularly the cisand transprtopinium possess antibiotic properties and these compounds could be used in the development of novel chemotherapuric agents.