CHED 779 |
| This experiment attempts to purify and possibly identify the active compounds in acorns and bitter melon. Extracts of acorns from Austrian oak trees and the fruit of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) show signs of antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pythium ultimum. The nuts and melons were extracted in methanol and the methanol soluble products were separated on silica gel columns using hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Antimicrobial assays against S. aureus and P. ultimum were conducted on all fractions collected. Some of the fractions from the acorns and bitter melons showed activity against S. aureus or P. ultimum. In addition, the crude bitter melon fraction showed activity against Plasmodium falciparum. HPLC separations to date show that these fractions are not yet purified. Ongoing purifications are needed to isolate and identify the active compounds. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Biochemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |