Antibacterial activity of nicotine and its nickel complex

Nicotine and its metal complex; Ni[II]-nicotine was isolated from leaves of Nicotiana tabacum using metal ions by the methods reported elsewhere. Their antibacterial activity was investigated using ten different species of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. For comparison, antibacterial activity was also tested for pure sample of nicotine and the metal salts used for complexation; Nickel[11] chloride, using the same set of bacterial strains under similar conditions. Nicotine showed no antimicrobial effect at lower dose level. On the contrary, at higher dose level, nicotine showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis, with a zone of inhibition of 14mm. Nickel[II] chloride was found to be effective against Aeromonas sobria and Staphylococcus aureus at lower dose level whereas it was effective against all the species of bacteria at higher dose level except Salmonella typhi and Shigella bovdii. Nickel[II] nicotine complex was ineffective against all the bacteria tested at lower dose level but effective against Aeromonas sobria, Vibrio cholerae and Bacillus subtilis

Antifungal activity of nicotine and its copper complex

Nicotine and its metal complex, Cu[11]-nicotine were isolated from leaves of Nicutiana tabacum using various metal ions by a techniques reported by Munir et al., 1994'. Antifungal activity of this complex was studied using 14 different species of fungi by comparing growth inhibition. Range of antifungal activity was compared with pure sample of nicotine and the metal salt used for complexation; copper[11] chloride, using the same species of fungi under similar conditions. Nicotine exhibited antifungal activity against 9 out of 14 selected species of which Copper[11] chloride was found to be effective against 11 out of 14 selected species. On the other hand, Copper[11]-nicotine was also found to be effective against 1 l out of 14 selected species of fungi tested