ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE FIBER PRODUCED BY “POCHOTE” CEIBA AESCULIFOLIA SUBSP. PARVIFOLIA

Background: The cotton-like fiber from the fruit of Pochote (Ceiba aesculifolia subsp. parvifolia) can be applied to wounds for healing purposes. As microorganisms can infect wounds and hamper the wound healing process, the aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the methanolic extract of Pochote fiber. Materials and Methods: The methanolic extract was tested against bacteria and fungi. For bacteria, the Kirby-Baüer disc diffusion and broth dilution methods were employed to determine the MIC and MBC. In addition, bactericidal kinetic curves were generated. The antifungal activity was determined by the radial diffusion method. The antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and the flavonoid content were determined. Bioassay guided fractionation was also performed. Results: The methanolic extract showed activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae (cc). The tested V. cholerae strains were the most sensitive strains, and exhibited a clear CFU size reduction from the bactericidal kinetic curves. The methanolic extract had activity against T. mentagrophytes and R. lilacina . The antioxidant activity (SC50= 36.42 μg/mL) was related to the total phenolic (74.4 mg eAG/g) and flavonoid content (21.982 mg (eQ)/g). The bioassay guided fractionation results suggested that the antimicrobial properties of the extract may act through synergism because the total extract had higher activity against bacteria compared to the collected fractions. Conclusion: This study scientifically validates the application of the fruit fiber from Pochote as a part of a traditional medicine approach to alleviate infections caused by bacteria and fungi

BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF JATROPHA NEOPAUCIFLORA PAX

Background: Ethnopharmacological relevance. Jatropha neopauciflora (Pax) is an endemic species of the Tehuacan- Cuicatlan Valley, Mexico. This species has long been used as a remedy to alleviate illnesses of bacterial, fungal and viral origin. Aim of the study. Experimentally test the traditional use of Jatropha neopauciflora in Mexican traditional medicine. Materials and methods. The methanol extract (MeOH1), of Jatropha neopauciflora (Euphorbiaceae) was obtained by maceration. Next, the methanol (MeOH2) and hexane (H) fractions were obtained. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation. The extract, fractions and essential oil were analyzed by GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity was measured by the disc diffusion agar and radial inhibition growth methods. Results: The extract and fractions showed antibacterial activity against eleven strains (five Gram-positive and six Gramnegative) and a bacteriostatic effect in the survival curves for Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae. The extract and fractions were also shown to have antifungal activity, particularly against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (CF50 = MeOH1: 1.07 mg/mL, MeOH2: 1.32 mg/mL and H: 1.08 mg/mL). The antioxidant activity of MeOH1 (68.6 g/mL) was higher than for MeOH2 (108.1 g/mL). The main compounds of the essential oil were -pinene, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, ledene, mmenthane, linalyl acetate and 3-carene. The main compounds of MeOH1 were β-sitosterol, lupeol and pyrogallol; the main compounds of MeOH2 were β-sitosterol, spathulenol, coniferyl alcohol and lupeol; and the main compounds of H were β- sitostenone, -sitosterol and stigmasterol. Conclusions: This study indicates that Jatropha neopauciflora is a potential antibacterial and antifungal agent