Isolation and identification of antibacterial neo-compounds from the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp.

Three novel coumarin compounds along with two known amide alkaloids were isolated from a methanol extract of the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp. Their structures were identified on the basis of IR, 2D NMR (1H–1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and HRESIMS analysis. Antibacterial activity of all the compounds was evaluated using KB paper diffusion through measurement of inhibiting zone. It was found that four of all the compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 25 μg/ml (compounds 1–3) and 15 μg/ml (compound 4).

Four novel inhibitors (MIC 15–25 μg/ml) with antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis were isolated from the red ants of ChangBai Mountain, Tetramorium sp.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide