Antibacterial activity of some Garcinia benzophenone derivatives against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Benzophenone derivatives, garcinol (1) and isogarcinol (2) isolated from the pericarps of Garcinia purpurea (Guttiferae), and xanthochymol (3) and a mixture of isoxanthochymol (4) cycloxanthochymol (5) from the pericarps of G. subelliptica were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Among them, 3 showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration at 3.1-12.5 micrograms/ml. This concentration is nearly equal to that of the antibiotic, vancomycin.