[Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of indol alkaloids]

In pursuing the study of the antimicrobial properties of alkaloids prepared from Cuban plants the activity of 10 indol alkaloids and 4 semisynthetic variables obtained from three plants--Catharanthus roseus G. Don., Vallesia antillana Wood and Ervatamia coronaria Staph, of the family Apocynaceae--growing in Cuba was assessed in vitro. The alkaloids and the variables used were catharantine, vindoline, vindolinine, perivine, reserpine, tabernaemontanine, tetrahydroalstonine, aparicine, vindolinic acid, reserpic acid and vindolininol. These were faced to 40 bacterial strains from the genera Salmonella, Shigella, Proteus, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium as well as to fungi and yeasts from the genera Aspergillus, kCunnighamella, kCandida and Saccharomyces. The method involving cylindric sections in a double agar layer was applied and lectures were obtained at 24-48 hours of incubation at 25 degrees C for fungi and yeasts and 37 degrees C for bacteria. Inhibition zones are reported in millimeters.