• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.339-348
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• 2008

Butea frondosa has been used traditionally as a topical formulation in the treatment of many diseases and disorders. Two compounds [BF-1 (crystalline flavonol quercetin) and BF-2 (tannin) from ethyl acetate fraction of ethanolic extract] were isolated from the bark of Butea frondosa. The stereostructures of the compounds were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. BF-1 and BF-2 were screened in vitro for possible antibacterial property against 112 bacteria comprising 3 genera of Gram-positive and 12 genera of Gram-negative types. It was found that both BF-1 and BF-2 exhibited inhibitory activity against several bacteria. Most of these strains were inhibited by BF-1 at $50-200\;{\mu}g/ml$, while BF-2 ($MIC_{50}$ $400\;{\mu}g/ml$) was much less active. The bacteria could be arranged in the decreasing order of sensitivity towards BF-1 in the following manner: S. aureus, Bacillus spp., Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp., Shigella spp., E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. The $MIC_{50}$ of the compound was $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ while the $MIC_{90}$ was $100\;{\mu}g/ml$. The decreasing order of sensitivity towards BF-2 was V. cholerae, Bacillus spp., S. aureus, V. parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp. and Proteus spp. BF-1 was bactericidal in action. In vivo studies with this extract showed that it could offer statistically significant protection (p < 0.01) to mice challenged with a virulent bacterium. The inhibitory activity of Butea frondosa against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria indicates its usefulness in the treatment of common bacterial infections. The potentiality of BF-1 as an antibacterial agent may be confirmed further by pharmacological studies.