Abstract

VEGA-AVILA, Elisa et al. Actividad antibacteriana y antifúngica de Justicia Spicigera. Rev. latinoam. quím [online]. 2012, vol.40, n.2, pp.75-82. ISSN 0370-5943.

Justicia spicigera is a native plant from Mexico used since prehispanic times to treat dysentery. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract (EE) and its hexanic fraction (HEE) on bacteria causing dysentery, as well as on Staphylococcus aureus and the yeast Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by resazurin assay. The EE inhibited the growth of Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus MIC ≤ 2.5 mg/mL. The HEE inhibited bacterial growth MIC ≤ 1.25 mg/mL. This fraction also inhibited Candida albicans with MIC = 0.25 mg/mL. These results support the empirical use of Justicia specigera to dysentery treatment. The volatile compounds of the HEE, a fragrant yellow oil, were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and identified by the NIST library: 3-pentenal,4-methyl; butanoic acid, 2-hydroxi-2-methyl-,methyl ester; ethanone, 1-(3-ethyloxiranyl)-; 1-butanol,4-(1-methylethoxy)-; 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutyric acid; 3-butene-1,2-diol, 1-(2-furanyl)-; 2-hexenoic acid ethyl ester; 3-thiopheneacetic acid; 1,2-benzendicarboxilic acid, mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester; benzene, 1,1'-(-1-phenyl-1,2-ethenediyl) bis[4-methoxy]. None of these compounds have been reported previously from Justicia spicigera.

Keywords : Justicia spicigera; dysentery; volatile compounds; resazurin.