Studies on Biological Activity of Wood Extractives(II) - Antimicrobial and antioxidative compound isolated from heartwood of Zelkova serrata -

Antimicrobial and antioxidative activities on heartwood extractives from Zelkova serrata were investigated to develop a natural fungicide or preservative. The ethanol extract from Z. serrata was fractionated in the order of petroleum ether, diethylether and ethylacetate to determine antimicrobial activity. The highest antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms was found in the petroleum ether soluble fraction. An active antimicrobial compound was isolated from petroleum ether soluble fraction, and identified as 7-hydroxy-3-methoxycadalene by -, -NMR and EI-MS spectrometry. This compound showed higher antifungal activity, but lower antibacterial activity than hinokitiol(-thujaplicin), strong antimicrobial compound isolated from Thujopsis dolabrata. Antioxidative activity was also higher than -tocopherol and similar to BHT(butylated hydroxytoluene), one of the strongest synthetic antioxidant. As a result, it was concluded that 7-hydroxy-3-methoxycadalene isolated from Z. serrata had strong antifungal and antioxidative activities.