Antimicrobial Activity of Alkaloid from Roots of Vetiveria zizanoides (L.) Nash ex Small

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjective: This study aimed to isolate active compounds from the root of Vetiveria zizanoides (L.) Nash ex Small cultivar Surat Thani and test forantimicrobial activity. Method: Crude methanolic extract of the root of V. zizanoides (L.) Nash ex Small root cultivar Surat Thani was screened forantimicrobial activity by agar diffusion method. Crude methanolic extract was purified by column chromatography and further purified by preparativethin layer chromatography (PTLC) twice by using 2% dichloromethane in ethyl acetate as the first mobile phase. The residue was developed in thesecond PTLC which used 2% ethyl acetate in dichloromethane as the mobile phase. Structured elucidation was performed by UV, IR, NMR and MSand was also confirmed by 1H-1H COSY and 1H-13C HMBC techniques. Result: Five pure compounds were isolated. Four of these pure compoundsshowed antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The most active compound, vetiverin, which was an alkaloid showed minimuminhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1,628 μg/ml. The structure of vetiverin was elucidated successfully. Conclusion: Root of V. zizanoides (L.) Nash exSmall cultivar Surat Thani showed antimicrobial activity especially vetiverin. However, antimicrobial activity of V. zizanoides was more likely a resultof the additive or synergistic effect of several compounds.Keyword: Antimicrobial activity, Vetiveria zizanoidesThai Pharm Health Sci J 2010;5(2):99-102§