Antibacterial and antifungal activities of neocryptolepine, biscryptolepine and cryptoquindoline, alkaloids isolated from Cryptolepis sanguinolenta

From the 80% EtOH extract of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schlechter (Periplocaeae) root bark, a cryptolepine isomer named neocryptolepine, and two dimeric alkaloids named biscryptolepine and cryptoquindoline were isolated. These compounds were tested for their putative antibacterial and antifungal activities. Results have indicated that neocryptolepine showed an antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC <100 mu g/ml), but was less acive against Gram-negative bacteria. It also inhibited the growth of the yeast C. albicans. Biscryptolepine exhibited only an activity against some Gram-positive bacteria (MIC = 62.5 or 31 mu g/ml) while cryptoquindoline did not shown an activity against all selected microorganisms. The antibacterial activity of neocryptolepine and biscryptolepine is bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal. No antifungal activity could be observed for all alkaloids in our test system at the highest test concentration of 100 mu g/ml.