Antimicrobial properties of heartwood,bark/sapwood and leaves of Juniperus species

Hexane and methanol extracts of heartwood, bark/sapwood and leaves of twelve taxa of Juniperus from the United States were assayed for antifungal and antibacterial activities. The hexane extract of the heartwood of several junipers appeared comparable in antibacterial activity to streptomycin. Antibacterial activity of the hexane extracts from the bark/sapwood of J. monosperma and J. californica were comparable to streptomycin. No appreciable antibacterial activities were found in the leaf extracts from any species examined. No antifungal activities comparable to amphotericin B were found in either hexane or methanol extracts of the heartwood nor from the bark/sapwood. Antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans comparable to amphotericin B was found in the hexane extract of the leaves of J. occidentalis var. australis. The methanol extracts from the leaves of J. osteosperma and J. californica had antifungal activities comparable to amphotericin B against Trichophyton mentagrophytes.