Isolation of antibacterial diterpenoids from Cryptomeria japonica bark

The aims of the present study were to determine the antibacterial activity of bark extract of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don and to isolate potential antibacterial constituents. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of C. japonica bark possessed a good antibacterial activity. Nine compounds including seven diterpenoids (ferruginol (I), isopimaric acid (II), iguestol (III), isopimarol (IV), phyllocladan-16alpha-ol (V), sandaracopimarinol (VI) and sugiol (VII)) and two steroids (beta-sitosterol (VIII) and beta-sitostenone (IX)) were isolated from active subfractions; beta-sitostenone was isolated for the first time from this plant. Among these compounds, ferruginol possessed the strongest antibacterial activity and had MIC values ranging from 6.3 to 12.5 microg mL(-1) against all bacteria tested. Isopimaric acid was also an antibacterial natural product. Cryptomeria japonica bark extract and its diterpenoids, ferruginol and isopimaric acid, have the ability to inhibit the bacterial growth and can be used as the source for natural bactericides.