J Ethnopharmacol. 2001 Mar; 74(3): 231-7.

Cyclooxygenase inhibiting and anti-bacterial activities of South African Erythrina species.

Pillay CC, Jäger AK, Mulholland DA, van Staden J.

Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Botany and Zoology, University of Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.

Aqueous, ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of the bark and leaves of five South African Erythrina species Erythrina caffra, Erythrina humeana, Erythrina latissima, Erythrina lysistemon and Erythrina zeyheri were screened for prostaglandin synthesis-inhibitory and anti-bacterial activity. The bark generally displayed higher activity than the leaves in both bioassays. The highest cyclooxygenase inhibiting activity and anti-bacterial activity was recorded for the ethanol and ethyl acetate bark extracts of E. caffra, E. latissima and E. lysistemon. An anti-bacterial compound, 4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-prenylisoflavone, was isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation from bark of E. lysistemon.