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Effect-Directed Isolation and Identification of Antibacterial Chelidonium majus L. Alkaloids

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Abstract

The components of alkaloid, methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Chelidonium majus L. root, leaf and stem were tested for antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli by thin-layer chromatography coupled with direct bioautography (TLC-DB). Effect-directed analyses were performed to obtain the active compounds as follows: separation with preparative layer chromatography (PLC, 0.5-mm-thick silica layer, 20 × 10 cm); a part of the preparative layer (3 cm wide) was used for PLC-DB to detect the antibacterial components against B. subtilis; elution of the appropriate lanes as indicated by PLC-DB from the remaining 17-cm-wide layer; verification of the bioactivity of the eluted compounds by TLC-DB; further purification of the fractions was carried out with TLC, when it was necessary. The eluates of interest were analysed by LC-HRMS and LC-Q/TOF. The antibacterial effect against B. subtilis was mainly attributed to the isoquinoline alkaloid components, which were identified as chelidonine, sanguinarine, chelerythrine, berberine, coptisine, corydine, dihydrosanguinarine, dihydrochelerythrine, 6-acetonyl-dihydrosanguinarine, 6-acetonyl-dihydrochelerythrine and stylopine. Only chelidonine, sanguinarine and chelerythrine possessed inhibiting effect against E. coli.

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Acknowledgments

Á.M. Móricz is grateful for the scholarship from the Polish Government to research in Lublin, Poland. This work was partially supported by OTKA grant PD83487, and Á. M. Móricz is supported also by Bolyai grant. The authors gratefully acknowledge the use of the mass spectrometry services and facilities of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research of The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland, funded by POPW.01.03.00-06-003/09-00.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman O. Str. 15, 1022, Budapest, Hungary

    Ágnes M. Móricz

  2. Laboratory of Separation and Spectroscopic Method Applications, Center for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, al. Krasnicka 102, 20-718, Lublin, Poland

    Emilia Fornal

  3. Department of Chromatographic Methods, University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska, M. Skłodowska Sq. 3, 20-031, Lublin, Poland

    Wioleta Jesionek & Irena M. Choma

  4. Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka Str. 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland

    Barbara Majer-Dziedzic

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  1. Ágnes M. Móricz
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Correspondence to Ágnes M. Móricz.

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Móricz, Á.M., Fornal, E., Jesionek, W. et al. Effect-Directed Isolation and Identification of Antibacterial Chelidonium majus L. Alkaloids. Chromatographia 78, 707–716 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-015-2870-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-015-2870-6

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