The antibacterial activity of triterpenoid acid from the ethyl acetate extract of Dillenia ochreata leaves

Dillenia ochreata is a medicinal plant that has been used traditionally as a scabies remedy. Ethanol extract of D. ochreata has been reported to have antibacterial activity, and contains triterpenoids, steroids, tannins, and phenolic compounds. The aims of this study were to isolate and identify the chemical compound from the ethyl acetate extract of D. ochreata leaves and to evaluate their effects on antibacterial activity. The D. ochreata leaves were extracted with the maceration method, separation and purification were carried out using chromatography methods, and IR and NMR spectroscopy were used to characterize the isolated compound. The antibacterial activity was conducted using the disc diffusion method against the E. coli and S. aureus bacteria, and the dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration value. A pure compound was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the D. ochreata leaves as a white solid (90 mg). Based on the spectroscopic data and a comparison with the literature, the isolated compound was a triterpenoid group sentulic acid with the molecular formula C30H46O4. The sentulic acid compound showed antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration value for E. coli and S. aureus of 60 mu g/ml and 15 mu g/ml respectively. Our study is the first to report sentulic acid from D. ochreata leaves.