Several Leonotis species are used widely for medicinal purposes in Africa. There have been
drastic changes in the taxonomic treatment of Leonotis species during the past decade. Two
species, L. dysophylla and L. microphylla occurring in Pretoria have been considered as varieties of the same species and as different species by different authors. Because Leonotis species are
used widely as medicinal plants inter alia against bacterial infections, we decided to compare
the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of four plants from each of two populations
of the species.
The chemical composition of acetone extracts of fi nely ground leaves was determined by
thin layer chromatography followed by spraying with vanillin-sulphuric acid. There were hardly
any differences between plants from the same population. There were major differences between
the two species in the composition of pigments separated by thin layer chromatography and for
compounds visualized with the vanillin-sulphuric acid spray reagent. This supported the viewpoint
that the two species should not be considered as varieties. The major differences found in chemical
composition indicate that chemical parameters may play an important role in resolving taxonomic
differences. Because such a small quantity of material is needed, it may be feasible to analyze
one or two leaves obtained from herbarium sheets as an additional taxonomic parameter.
The antibacterial activity of the acetone extracts was determined using a two-fold serial
dilution microplate method with tetrazolium violet as indicator of growth. The specific strains of
the four most important nosocomial bacterial pathogens suggested by the United States National
Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards were used: Staphylococcus aureus (American Type
Culture Collection 29213), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC
25922) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 21212). The minimum inhibitory activity of the crude
extract of L. microphylla was 58, 33, 113 and 15 μg/ml against the four pathogens respectively.
The MIC of the L. dysophylla extracts were 110, 95, 113 and 63 μg/ml respectively. If the total
activity was calculated by dividing the quantity in mg extracted from one gram of each species
with the MIC, the following values were obtained against the respective bacteria using the
L. microphylla extract: 700, 1400, 381 and 2100 ml/g. The values for the L. dysophylla extract
were 381, 420, 420 and 700 ml/g. This means that if one gram of dried leaves of L. microphylla
were extracted with acetone it could be diluted to 2100 ml and it would still kill E. faecalis.
These results not only prove the possible use of chemical and biological activity as taxonomic
markers, but also the potential value of L. microphylla acetone extracts in treating infections with
P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis. The activity of the crude extract against P. aeruginosa was as good
as or better than the activity of ampicillin, gentamicin, nitrofurantoin, trimethroptin or sulfi soxazole.
The activity against E. faecalis was as good as or better than ampicillin, gentamicin, nitrofurantoin
or sulfi soxazole. If the acetone leaf extract of L. microphylla is stable and not toxic there is a
good possibility of developing a commercially useful antibacterial product from it.
The results indicate the taxonomic value of chemical parameters and biological activity and
support the view that the two taxa should be considered as different species.
Daar is verskeie menings oor die taksonomie van Leonotis spesies en onlangse outeurs het groot
veranderings aanbeveel. Sommige outeurs beskou L. dysophylla en L. microphylla as variante
van dieselfde spesie en ander as twee aparte spesies. Leonotis spesies word wyd gebruik vir medisinale doeleindes. Heelwat van die gebruike is vir toestande wat met bakteriese infeksies
verband hou. Die chemiese samestelling en antibakteriese aktiwiteit van verskillende plante van
twee populasies van die spesies is ondersoek om te bepaal of hierdie kenmerke van taksonomiese
waarde kan wees.
Beide die samestelling van pigmente geskei deur dunlaagchromatografi e en van verbindings
wat sigbaar geword het na behandeling van chromatogramme met vanillien-swawelsuur het
aangedui dat daar groot verskille tussen plante van die twee populasies bestaan.
Die antibakteriese aktiwiteit van asetoonekstrakte is bepaal deur die minimum inhiberende
konsentrasie (MIK) te bepaal deur middel van ’n tweevoudige verdunningsreeks mikroplaat
metode met tetrasoliumviolet as aanduider van bakteriese groei. As toetsorganismes is
Staphylococcus aureus (American Type Culture Collection 29213), Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) en Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 21212) gebruik.
Daar was groot verskille in die antibakteriese aktiwiteit tussen die twee spesies veral nadat die
totale aktiwiteit in ml/g droë materiaal tussen die twee spesies vergelyk is. Die L. microphylla
asetoonekstrak het verbasende goeie aktiwiteit gehad met ’n MIK (33 μg/ml) van net so goed of
beter as die MIK van ampisillien, gentamisien, nitrofurantoïen, trimetroptien, sulfi soksasool
teenoor P. aeruginosa. Dieselfde ekstrak het ’n MIK (15 μg/ml) van net so goed of beter as
ampisillien, gentamisien, nitrofurantoïen en sulfisoksasool gehad. Daar bestaan ’n sterk
moontlikheid dat ’n asetoon ekstrak van L. microphylla kommersiële toepassing kan vind indien
daar nie stabiliteit of toksisiteit probleme is nie.
Die resultate ondersteun die beskouing dat die twee taksons as afsonderlike spesies beskou
moet word.
