Medicinal Plants Classification Biosynthesis and ... - Index of

Biomolecules with Anti-Mycobacterial Activity
Bocconia frutescens showed anti-M. tuberculosis activity. Also, the evaluation of 25 ethanol
extract of plants used in the traditional medicine of Baja California Sur (Mexico) were tested
for anti-M. tuberculosis activity from these, ten extracts showed activity at 100 µg/ml
[Murillo-Alvarez, 2001]. Hexane and acetone extracts of Flourensia cernua DC showed a
MIC of 50 and 25 µg/mL against sensitive and resistant strains, respectively. The extracts not
only inhibited the growth but killed M. tuberculosis [Molina-Salinas et al, 2006]. Although,
no compound has been isolated from all those plants yet.
Chemical exploration of Camchaya calcarea (Compositae) has led to the isolation of
nine known sesquiterpene lactones. Seven of them exhibited potent antimycobacterial activity
[Vongvanich et al, 2006].
Lack of maturation of phagosomes containing pathogenic M. tuberculosis within
macrophages has been widely recognized as a crucial factor for the persistence of
mycobacterial pathogen. Host molecule tryptophan-aspartate containing coat protein (TACO)
has been shown to play a crucial role in the arrest of such a maturation process. The downregulation
of TACO gene expression by epigallocatechin-3-gallate polyphenol from green tea
was accompanied by inhibition of mycobacterium survival within macrophages as assessed
through flow cytometry and colony counts [Anand et al, 2006].
Three sterol compounds from Thalia multiflora named stigmast-5-en-3beta-ol-7-one,
stigmast-4-ene-6beta-ol-3-one, stigmast-5,22-dien-3beta-ol-7-one, and stigmast-4,22-dien-
6beta-ol-3-one, exhibited antimycobaterial activity with MIC values of 1.98, 4.2 , 1.0, and
µg/mL, respectively [Gutierrez-Lugo et al, 2005].
The dichloromethane extract of stem bark of Warburgia ugandensis afforded three new
coloratane sesquiterpenes, and nine known sesquiterpenes. Some of them were active against
M. aurum, M. fortuitum, M. phlei and M. smegmatis; with MIC values ranged from 4 to 128
µg/ml compared to ethambutol (MIC range, 0.5 to 8 µg/ml) and isoniazid (MIC range, 1 to 4
µg/mL) [Wube et al, 2005].
Searching for new drugs that are effective against MDR strains of M. tuberculosis and
can augment the potential of existing drugs against tuberculosis, Bapela et al [2006] made
combinations of naphthoquinone, 7-methyljuglone, isolated from the roots of Euclea
natalensis, with isoniazid or rifampicin and resulted in a four to six-fold reduction in the
minimum inhibitory concentration of each compound. Fractional inhibitory concentration
(FIC) indexes obtained were 0.2 and 0.5, respectively, for rifampicin and isoniazid,
suggesting a synergistic interaction between 7-methyljuglone and these anti-TB drugs.
Other compounds under research for their anti-Tb activity include the following: From
the root of Calliandra californica two new cassane-type diterpenes were isolated and
characterized, escobarine A and B, which showed promising activities against two M.
tuberculosis strains [Encarnacion-Dimayuga et al, 2006]. Compounds isolates from the root
of Garcinia linii, 1,7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone and 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone
showed antitubercular activities with MICs of 3.1, and 6.3 µg/mL against M. tuberculosis
[Chen et al, 2006]. Callicarpic acid B, 12-Deoxy-11,12-dihydro-seco-hinokiol methyl ester,
and alpha-tocopherol trimer B isolated from the leaves and twigs of Callicarpa pilosissima
exhibit antitubercular activities (MICs ≤ 63.6 M) against M. tuberculosis H37Rv in vitro
[Chen et al, 2009]. Erythrophloin C and suberosol B roots of Beilschmiedia erythrophloia,
had MIC values of 50 and 28.9 mg/mL against M. tuberculosis H37Rv [Yang et al, 2009].
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