Bioactive sesquiterpene lactones from the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina

Phytochemical analysis of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina yielded two known sesquiterpene lactones: vernolide and vernodalol. The two compounds were tested by agar dilution method against 10 bacteria strains and 5 fungi species. Both compounds exhibited a significant bactericidal activity against five Gram positive bacteria while lacking efficacy against the Gram negative strains. In the antifungal test, while vernolides exhibited high activity with LC50 values of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/ml against Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Mucor hiemalis, respectively, vernodalol showed moderate inhibitions against Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium notatum and Aspergillus niger with LC50 values of 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. Both compounds were ineffective against Fusarium oxysporum, a microbe known to be highly resistant to chemical agents. However, the antimicrobial results of this study correspond positively with the claimed ethnomedical uses of the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina in the treatment of various infectious diseases.