Abstract:

Five neolignans including four new ones were obtained from the seed endotheliums of Trewia nudiflora L. Their structures were determined to be 9''-methyl americanol A (1), 9''-methyl isoamericanol A (2), 9''-ethyl americanol A (3), 9''-butyl americanol A (4), and americanin (5). Two acetylated products 3,4-diacetyl americanin (5a) and 3,4,9-triacetyl americanin (5b) had been prepared from compound 5. All of these compounds were investigated on antibacterial assays when carbenicillin sodium, streptomycin sulfate and rifampicin were used as positive controls. Compounds 4 and 5 exhibited antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 50 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL, respectively, but 5a and 5b did not exhibit antibacterial activity at 200 mg/disk.

Key words: Trewia nudiflora , seed endothelium, neolignan, antibacterial activity