Screening Chalcones for Antimicrobial Activity

Leong, Fui Lin (2010) Screening Chalcones for Antimicrobial Activity. [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Chalcone has been known to exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. The present study examined the antimicrobial activities of fourteen newly synthesised chalcones obtained from the Resource Chemistry Department, UNIMAS. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test was performed to measure the degree of susceptibility in four test bacteria to chalcones. Inoculum suspension was prepared and then spread over the surface of Muller Hilton Agar (MHA) plate to give a confluent bacterial growth. Paper disks impregnated with chalcones at the concentration of 250 μg/ml, 100 μg/ml, 50 μg/ml, 25 μg/ml or 12.5 μg/ml were dispensed onto the agar. The diameter of each inhibition zone around the discs was measured and the MIC value was determined. Data from the screening test revealed that chalcones exerted a strong antibacterial activity against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus but low activity against Gram negative Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Enterobacter aerogenes. Among all the compounds, 4’-dodecyoxy-2-hydroxyl chalcone, 4’-dodecyoxy-4-hydroxyl chalcone and 4’-hydroxyl-4-decyoxy chalcone were found to exhibit the strongest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus with a MIC value of <1.563 μg/ml. Besides, the effects of the substitution of hydroxyl group at ortho-, meta- and para- positions and the optimum length of the hydrocarbon chain on the ring of chalcones were also being investigated. It was observed that chalcones exhibited a greater activity with the hydroxyl group being substituted at the para- position on ring B. The antibacterial activity of chalcones was decreased with increase in the length of hydrocarbon chains. Due to their high potential in the medical applications, further research on the mechanisms of action and the cytotoxicity properties of selected chalcones would be very appropriate.

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