Study of The Antibacterial Therapeutic Efficacy of Juliflorine, Julifloricine and A Benzene Insoluble Alkaloidal Fraction of Prosopis Juliflora

The antimicrobial alkaloids, juliflorine, julifloricine and benzene insoluble alkaloidal fraction of Prosopis juliflora, have been studied for their therapeutic efficacy after topical application in produced superficial skin infection. Infection was produced by rubbing freshly isolated Staphylococcus aureus from human clinical specimen onto 9 cm2 shaved skin. Various concentrations of juliflorine, julifloricine, benzene insoluble alkaloidal fraction and gentamicin (standard antibiotic) prepared in petroleum jell were applied onto infected areas. Juliflorine was found to be effective on Staphylococcal skin infection. Juliforine in 0.5%, 1%, and 2.5% concentrations were found to heal 25%, 50% and 100% lesions in two weeks and microbiological efficacy was found to be 16.66%, 33.33%, 58.33% and 91.66% with 0.1%, 0.5%, 1% and 2.5% concentrations of juliflorine. Julifloricine was found to be less effective than juliflorine and the benzene insoluble alkaloidal mixture was found comparatively more effective than juliflorine. Healing was slightly faster with the mixture. Both juliflorine and the mixture were found effective at 2.5% concentration, but these were also found toxic. Gentamicin was found more superior to the alkaloids in artificially produced skin infection.
The study demonstrated that juliflorine and benzene insoluble alkaloidal fractions were effective in Staphylococcal skin infections. Generally dose related clinical and microbiological efficacy was noted but much less effective than standard antibiotic gentamicin and needs the development of more effective and non-toxic derivatives.