Abstract
A principal active antimicrobial compound, 2-(3’,5'-dibromo-2'-methoxyphenoxy)-3,5-dibromophenol, was isolated from the methanol extract of Phyllospongia papyracea via bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation. The crude extract and the purified compound were assayed to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the broth microdilution method. The purified compound was found to be highly active against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus at MIC=1 μg/mL, Campylobacter jejuni at MIC=2 μg/mL, Pseudomonas aeruginosa at MIC=4 μg/mL, and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Listeria monocytogenes at MIC = 8 μg/mL. The activity of this compound was found to be comparable with antibiotics commonly used to control these species of bacteria. The results establish 2-(3’,5'-dibromo-2'-methoxyphenoxy)-3,5-dibromophenol as a potential lead molecule for the development of antibacterial agents.
