Antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of extractives from Uvaria hamiltonii stem bark.

The extracts as well as piperolactum C, goniopedaline, 6beta-hydroxystigmasta-4,22-dien-3-one and a mixture of cis- and trans-4-hydroxymelleins obtained from Uvaria hamiltonii stem bark exhibited mild to moderate in vitro antibacterial activity. The results obtained were compared with a standard antibiotic, kanamycin. In a brine shrimp lethality bioassay the pet-ether, dichloromethane, methanol extracts and a major alkaloid, piperolactum C were found to exhibit mild to moderate cytotoxicity.