Chemical constituents and antimicrobial properties of <i>Phyllanthus amarus</i> (Schum & Thonn)

Abstract

The chemical composition of the leave extracts of Phyllanthus amarus (Schum and Thonn) of the family Euphorbiaceae from Nigeria was analyzed by GC-MS. The extracts were also examined for their potential to inhibit the growth of clinical isolates following standard procedure. The major compounds identified in the hexane extract are a flavonoid, flavone 4',5,7-triethoxy-3,3',6-trimethoxy (20.23%) and a triterpenoid 17-(1,5-Dimethylhexyl)-6-hydroxy-5-methylestr-9-en-3-yl acetate (19.02%) while bufalin (18.71%) and tetratetracontane (12.91%) were the major compounds detected in the methanol extract. Steroidal triterpenoids are the major compounds present in the extracts as it accounted for 47% of the total detectable content in the hexane extract and 52% in the methanol extract. The steroidal triterpenoids which exist primarily as acetate in the hexane extract include cycloeucalenyl acetate, ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol acetate, macdougallin, 17-(1,5-Dimethylhexyl)-6-hydroxy-5-methylestr-9-en-3-yl acetate, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol while the methanol extract contains 6,7-epoxypregn-4-ene-9,11,18-triol-3,20-dione, 11,18-diacetate, bufalin, olean-13(18)-ene, methyl ursolate, barringenol R1 and 7,8-epoxylanostan-11-ol,3-acetoxy. Hexane extract of the plant exhibited antifungal activity on Candida albicans while methanol extract revealed significant antibacterial activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus at all concentrations of the extract between 12.5 and 100 mg/mL, the activity being comparable to the standard antibacterial drug, Oxacillin. The leaves of Phyllanthus amarus is a potential source of steroidal triterpenoids which could serve as biomarker for the plant species. The extracts of the plant may also serve as a natural source of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of some microbial infections.

Phyllanthus amarus enriched Artemia nauplii enhanced survival, growth and nutritional quality of early post-larvae of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

“…Similar to that of the present study, the presence of alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, phenolics, flavonoids and steroids have been reported in the hexane extract of P. amarus [55]. Alkaloids in ethyl acetate extracts of leaf and root, saponins in aqueous and methanol extracts of the stem, and flavonoids in petroleum ether extract of all parts of P. amarus have been reported [56].…”

In Vitro Anti-Leptospiral Activity of Phyllanthus amarus Extracts and Their Combinations with Antibiotics

“…Phytochemical analyses of AEs have detected the presence of primary (carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids) and secondary metabolites (anthraquinone, steroids, including phytosterols and cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, including triterpenes and saponins, phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and lignins, and tannins, specifically phlobatannins) [ 12 , 16 , 17 , 26 , 29 , 30 ]. Analyses of MEs have revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids (triterpenes), steroids (cardiac glycosides), phenolic compounds (flavonoids), and tannins (phlobatannins) [ 12 , 16 , 30 , 31 ]. Shirahatti, Syed, and Elgorban investigated the anti-leptospiral effects of three novel biologically active compounds isolated from MEs.…”

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“…19-cycloergost-24(28)-en-3-ol, 4,14-dimethyl-, acetate, (3β,4α,5α) dikenal juga dengan nama cycloeucalenyl acetate atau cycloeucalenol acetate. Selain tergolong steroid, cycloeucalenol acetate juga memiliki sifat triterpenoid (Zubair et al, 2017). Cycloeucalenol acetate berfungsi sebagai cardiotonic dengan efek toksisitas yang rendah sehingga dapat digunakan sebagai bahan baku obat di masa akan datang (Adewusi et al, 2013).…”