Active metabolites and biological activities from Malesherbia auristipulata

Abstract

The antimicrobial activity of the resinous exudate from the aerial part of Malesherbia auristipulata showed an active mixture against Gram (+) bacteria: S.aureus, B. subtilis and M. flavus and less active against Gram (-) bacteria: S. aeruginosa, S. aviatum and E. coli. GC analysis revealed a mixture of polyinsatured fatty acids, being γ-linolenic acid the most abundant and the major compound responsible for this activity. Topic antiinflammatory and per os analgesic properties of Malesherbia auristipulata were also investigated and the major compounds of the dichloromethane and resinous bioactive extracts were isolated. An assessment of the antioxidant activity was performed for the different extracts from this species. results of the evaluation of the topic antiinflammatory activities induced by arachidonic acid and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate for the extracts showed that this species has active constituents that might lower either cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase activities, enzymes that allow the synthesis of proinflammatory endogenous substances such as prostaglandin E2 or leukotrienes, respectively. Dichloromethane extract was the only that exhibited antioxidant activity. Our results corroborate the antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of this species. From the bio-active dichloromethane and resinous extracts, β-sitosterol, kaempferol and a mixture of highly saturated fatty acids were obtained; palmitic acid was the most abundant in the mixture. These compounds could partly explain the aninflammatory and analgesic activities of this species.