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Planta Med 2000; 66(8): 768-769
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-9601
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antimicrobial Triterpenoids from Licania heteromorpha

Alessandra Braca1 , Ivano Morelli1 , Jeannette Mendez2 , Lucia Battinelli3 , Laura Braghiroli3 , Gabriela Mazzanti3,*
  • 1 Dipartimento di Chimica Bioorganica e Biofarmacia, Università degli Studi di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
  • 2 Escuela de Quimica, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
  • 3 Dipartimento di Farmacologia delle Sostanze Naturali e Fisiologia Generale, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italy
Further Information

Publication History

December 2, 1999

May 13, 2000

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Abstract

Six triterpenoids having a lupane and oleane skeleton were isolated from the leaves and young branches of Licania heteromorpha Bentham var. heteromorpha and were identified as: betulinic acid 1, alphitolic acid 2, 3β-O-trans-p-coumaroyl alphitolic acid 3, 3β-O-cis-p-coumaroyl alphitolic acid 4, 3β-O-trans-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid 5, 3β-O-cis-p-coumaroyl maslinic acid 6. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds was evaluated in vitro on clinically isolated microorganisms employing a microdilution method. Compounds 2, 3, 5, and 6 showed antimicrobial activity on Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts, whereas none of the six triterpenoids were active against Gram-negative organisms.

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Prof. Gabriela Mazzanti

Dipartimento di Farmacologia delle Sostanze

Naturali e Fisiologia Generale

Università di Roma “La Sapienza”

Piazzale Aldo Moro 5

00185 Rome

Italy

Email: gabriela.mazzanti@uniroma1.it

Fax: +39 06 49912480