Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

In: Medicinal Plants: Classification, Biosynthesis... ISBN: 978-1-60876-027-5
Editor: Alejandro Varela and Jasiah Ibañez © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter 6
Biomolecules with Anti-Mycobacterial
Activity
Jorge Castro-Garza 1 , Delia E. Cruz-Vega 2
and Ma. Teresa González-Garza 3
1 División de Biología Celular y Molecular, CIBIN, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social
(IMSS), Monterrey, N.L., México.
2 Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública. Facultad de Salud Pública y
Nutrición, UANL. Monterrey, N.L., México.
3 Escuela de Medicina, Centro de Investigación y Extensión en Ciencias de la Salud
(ITESM), Monterrey, N.L., México.
Abstract
Tuberculosis is an infectious, primary pulmonary disease, caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis that remains an important public health problem worldwide with
approximately nine million new cases and two million deaths per year. TB is considered
the most important disease caused by a single infectious agent and its control has been
difficult due to the lack of an effective vaccine, association with HIV infection and the
progressive development of resistance to anti-TB drugs.
Alternative anti-mycobacterial drugs are urgently needed; studies have shown that
medicinal plants traditionally used to treat respiratory diseases are a potential source of
new and efficient compounds to treat tuberculosis.
In this chapter we will describe some compounds, found in plants that have been
tested in different bioassays and showed anti-mycobacterial activity.
Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially in Asia and
Africa. Globally, 9.2 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths from TB occurred in 2006, of