BIOACTIVITIES OF ACACIA SPECIES ( A. atramentaria, A. aroma and A. caven) OF ARGENTINA

ARIAS M.E., ZAMPINI I., VATTUONE, M.; ISLA M.I.

Tafí del Valle - Tucumán

Jornada; Jornadas de Biología; 2004

The genus Acacia, one of the important genera of the family Fabaceae (Sub family Mimosaceae) includes aproximately 1350 species and is abundant in Australia, Africa, India and America. The aim of the present work is to compare the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of alcoholics extracts of three species of the Subgenus Acacia, A. aroma, A. atramentaria and A. caven. The antimicrobial activity was tested against bacteria of clinical relevance as nosocomial pathogens (Hospital of Clinicas Nicolas Avellaneda) by diffusion in agar, broth microdilution and agar macrodilution methods (NCCLS, 2002). The antioxidant activity was evaluated with stable free radical (DPPH) and the ß carotene-linoleate system. La toxicity was analyzed by Artemia salina test (LD50). Acacia aroma exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on growth of Gram negative and positive bacteria with CIM values of 125 to 250 µg/ml. All extracts showed antioxidant activity. The more active was  A. atramentaria extract (0,38µg/ml). No toxicity was found (LD50 > 1000 ppm). Our results indicate the presence of compounds possessing high antioxidant and antibacterial activity in Argentine Acacia species. The marked activity of the extracts is partially attributed to its higher content of polyphenolic-compounds.