Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Copaifera sp.

Abstract

The oil-resin of Copaifera sp. it is excreted from copaibeira, an endemic plant in Brazil. Its main medicinal properties are: anti-inflammatory activity, healing and antibacterial action. Its therapeutic potential occurs due to its chemical constituent sesquiterpene and diterpenes, which are: β-karyophylene, α-copaene and copalic acid. The present work evaluates the activity of Copaifera sp. against the strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The technique used was the dilution in broth in Agar Müeller Hinton medium, in concentrations 0.5%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0%, aiming to analyze the oil inhibiting power in the bacterial growth. A comparison with conventional antimicrobials, aminoglycosides (gentamicin), β-lactams / cephalosporins (cephalothin), phenicols (chloramphenicol) and tetracyclines, was also performed. The preliminary antibacterial results were considered satisfactory against the Staphylococcus aureus strain, completely inhibiting its growth, whereas on the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, the inhibition was considered weak to moderate.