Antimicrobial Isopropenyl-dihydrofuranoisoflavones from Crotalaria lachnophora

Two new isopropenyl-dihydrofuranoisoflavones exhibiting antimicrobial properties have been isolated along with eight known compounds from the Cameroonian medicinal plant Crotalaria lachnophora. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry as 7,2',4'-trihydroxy-5''-isopropenyl-4'',5''-dihydrofurano[2'',3'':5,6]isoflavone (1) and 4,8-dihydroxy-2-isopropenyl-2,3-dihydro-5H-[1]benzofuro[2,3-b]furo[3,2-g]chromen-5-one (2). The CH(2)Cl(2)/MeOH (1:1) extract and the compounds isolated were subjected to in vitro antimicrobial assays against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The new compounds, named lachnoisoflavones A (1) and B (2), showed moderate inhibitory activities against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.