Chemical composition of endemic Scorzonera sandrasica and studies on the antimicrobial activity against multiresistant bacteria.

The present study describes the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of Scorzonera sandrasica Hartvig et Strid (Family Asteraceae), endemic to Turkey. The antimicrobial activity of the hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of the aerial parts of S. sandrasica was evaluated against microorganisms, including multiresistant bacteria, using a paper disc diffusion method. The chemical composition of the chloroform extract of the plant was determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major compounds of the chloroform extract of the plant were caryophyllene oxide (19.7%), manoyl oxide (16.5%), and manool (11.3%), respectively. The extracts had antibacterial activity; however, no antifungal activity was observed against the two fungi. In particular, the ethanol and chloroform extracts exhibited significant activity against multiresistant strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.