Fitoterapia. 2002 Aug; 73(5): 431-3.

Isolation of antibacterial fatty acids from Schotia brachypetala.

McGaw LJ, J�ger AK, van Staden J.

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

In southern Africa, the roots of Schotia brachypetala are used by traditional healers to treat dysentery and diarrhoea. Activity-directed fractionation of the ethanol extract of the dried leaves yielded 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic (linolenic) acid and methyl-5,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoate. These fatty acids displayed antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and to a lesser extent, against the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.