The phenolic compounds from Hypericum perforatum and their antimicrobial activities

Abstract

Hypericum perforatum (St. John& #8217; s wort) (H. perforatum) is a plant which has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times and grow in Europe, West Asia and North Africa. In this work, the crude extracts of Hypericum Perforatum grown in Muğla were obtained by the extraction with acetone:water and water. The extracts were chemically investigated for their total phenol contents by the Folin& #8211; Ciocalteu method. The phenolic compounds in the extract with acetone:water (7:3, v/v, 150.44 mg GA/g material ) was determined as almost five fold higher than water extraction process (33.01 mg GA/g material). The thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis revealed the presence of polyphenolic compounds such as tannins. Antimicrobial activity of the samples was assayed separately using an agar diffusion method against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida krusei ATCC 4243. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis type organisms have showed less resistance to phenolic extract while the inhibition zone was not formed when Candida albicans used in the case of acetone:water extract. The phenolic compounds obtained by water extraction had inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis organisms.