Isolation of compounds from root bark extracts of Moringa stenopetala and evaluation of their antibacterial activities

Abstract

This study was conducted to isolate compounds from root bark extracts of M. stenopetala and evaluating its antibacterial activity. The root bark was extracted with different solvent system (Petroleum ether, chloroform, and acetone) using maceration technique. The acetone crude extract was subjected to column chromatographic separation. Four compounds (labeled as MOST-1, MOST-2, MOST-3, and MOST-5) were obtained in the process. The compounds were found to be stigmastereol, ursolic acid, tasnemoxide and oleic acid respectively, based on their spectral analyses (IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and DEPT-135) data and comparison with data reported literatures. The antibacterial activity of the compounds reveled that they show good antibacterial activities against the four bacterial strains used in the experiment. However, further tests (on more bacterial strains) are recommended in order to make decision on potential of the isolated compound as lead compounds and also to support the claims made by traditional healers on medicinal use of the plant used in the study.