Microbial resistant of building plants of Gigantochloa apus

The plant of Gigantochloa apus, has been traditionally used as a material for building houses, floor, roof top, fence and bamboo-crafts. In practice, beside the strength and elasticity, stability towards microbial also becomes an important consideration. This paper reports the chemical composition of the Gigantochloa apus and its resistance to bacterial growth. It was found that Gigantochloa apus contained alkaloids and phenolic tannins which are predicted to deter microbes. The ability to resist bacterial growth was evaluated in two common model microbes; i.e. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The chemicals afforded from Gigantochloa apus have capability to inhibit bacterial growth eight times stronger than the reference compound.