Phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of Salvia splendens Sello

The phytochemical investigation of antimicrobial agents from locally occurring Salvia splendens Sello, was carried out. Three common solvents i.e. petroleum ether (40-60%), chloroform and methanol were successively used for the extraction of antimicrobial principles from its various parts. Three major compounds (namely C1, C2, and C3) were isolated and purified from the active methanol extract of roots by column and thin layer chromatography. Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus pumilus, B. subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative bacteria (Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coil and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a fungus (Candida albicans) were used to measure the zones of inhibition of these compounds by known method. One of the compound C1 gave larger zones than the other two isolated compounds (C2 and C3). An attempt was made to identify the nature of antimicrobial compounds by available spectral means. A possible structure-activity relationship of the potent antimicrobial compounds was discussed.