The presence of antibacterial compounds in Anthocleista grandiflora (Loganiaceae)

In response to an unpublished report that Anthocleista grandiflora extracts had antimicrobial activity, leaves were dried, extracted and fractionated by a mild liquid/liquid extraction process into six fractions. Activity of components separated by thin layer chromatography was tested by bioautography using Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis as test organisms. Growth of all three organisms were inhibited by compounds in the chloroform and carbon tetrachloride soluble fractions. One or two compounds had a high degree of inhibition. Up to eight other compounds with a lower level of inhibition were also separated. There was little or no activity in the highly polar (water) or non-polar (hexane) fractions.