[Microbiological analysis of vindolinina (an alkaloid isolated from Catharanthus roseus) and some of its structural changes].

Bacteriostatic properties of vindolinina (an alkaloid isolated from Catharanthus roseus that has an ester group within its molecule) as well as of its alkaline-hydrolysis product (vindolininic acid) crystallized as chlorhydrate, and of the product of its reduction with lithium and aluminum hydrides (vindolininol) are compared. Several strains of bacteria pathogenic to man (Proteus, Escherichia, Shigella, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas) cultured in nutritive-agar dishes containing disks and incubated at 37 degrees C were used and results were assessed 24 hours later. Data obtained show that bacterial growth inhibition is closely related to the structure of the compound as well as to its type of grouping.