The aim of this study was to examine the antimicrobial activities of ethanol extracts of five plants containing furanocoumarins. Antimicrobial activities of ethanol extracts of Astrodaucus orientalis (L.) Drude, Bifora radians Bieb., Conium maculatum L., Crithmum maritimum L., Daucus carota L., and standard furanocoumarins (umbelliferone, xanthotoxin, and bergapten) were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans using a microdilution method. The minimum inhibition dilution (MID) values of the extracts were determined. Astrodaucus orientalis showed the highest antibacterial activity.

Phytochemical studies on an EtOH-soluble extract of the roots of Buxus sempervirens of Turkish origin have resulted in the isolation of three new steroidal alkaloids, (+)-semperviraminol (1), (+)-buxamine F (2), and (+)-17-oxocycloprotobuxine (3), along with two known steroidal alkaloids, (+)-buxoxybenzamine (4) and (+)-buxapapillinine (5). The structures of 1-3 were elucidated with the aid of spectroscopic studies. Compounds 4 and 5 exhibited phytotoxic activity against Lemna minor.

Phytochemical studies on the ethanolic extract of the roots of Buxus sempervirens of Turkish origin have resulted in the isolation of two new triterpenoidal alkaloids, (+)-16α, 31- diacetylbuxadine (1), (-)-Nb-demethylcyclomikuranine (2) along with three known natural products, (-)-cyclomikuranine (3), (-)-cyclobuxophylline-K (4) and (+)-buxaquamarine (5) isolated for the first time from this species of genus Buxus. The structures of these new natural products were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic studies. Compound 1 exhibited antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria and weak phytotoxic activity against Lemna minor Linn.