Antibacterial activity of flavonoids against Staphylococcus epidermidis, a skin bacterium.

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on Okinawan plants to find antibacterial compounds against a human skin bacterium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, which causes acne vulgaris. A medicinal plant, Elaeagnus glabra, showed significant activity, and (-)-epigallocatechin (27) was isolated from the plant as an antibacterial constituent against the bacterium. Twenty-six flavonoids related to 27 were tested for the activity, galangin (7) being the most active species. Although a structure-activity study was attempted, no clear structural factor was deduced.