Evaluation of the antibacterial activity and toxicity of isolated arctiin from the seeds of Centaurea sclerolepis

Abstract

A well known anti-cancer lignan arctiin has not been studied for its antibacterial activity based on our literature search. In the present work, the antibacterial and general toxicity of the arctiin from the seeds of Centaurea sclerolepis is studied. Arctiin did not show any significant antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria when compared with the positive control agent chloramphenicole. According to results obtained from brine shrimp lethality bioassay, arctiin is non-toxic to brine shrimp nauplii at the concentrations below/equal to 1000 µg/ml. The results of this study may help future studies to promote the development of arctiin as an anticancer drug.