Antimicrobial ellagitannin-rich extracts and ellagitannins in Terminalia kaiserana and Terminalia sambesiaca, two African medicinal plants

Abstract

Terminalia sambesiaca and Terminalia kaiserana are native to East and South African woodlands. Roots, stem bark and leaves are made into hot water decoctions and teas or mixed with maize porridge for treatment of infectious diseases and their symptoms, diarrhea and cough (1). The leaves of T. sambesiaca are known to contain saponins (2), but this is the only report on chemistry of this species. T. kaiserana has not been studied in this context. Since ellagitannins are known from many species of Terminalia, we assumed to find high quantities of them also in T. kaiserana and T. sambesiaca. Therefore we have analyzed these plant species for their potential as sources of antimicrobial agents, with focus on ellagitannins.