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Planta Med 2007; 73 - P_167
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-986948
Evaluation of the anti-TB potential of bryophytes
A Schinkovitz 1, J Scher 2, J Zapp 2, H Becker 2, Y Wang 1, SG Franzblau 1, B Crandall-Stotler
3, R Stotler 3, S Pro 1, GF Pauli 1
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry and PCRPS, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois
at Chicago, Chilcago IL, 60612 USA
2Pharmacognosy and Analytical Phythochemistry, Geb. 32, University of Saarland D-66041,
Saarbruecken Germany
3Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale IL,
629016509, USA
Congress Abstract
With more than 1.5 million casualties a year and one third of the world's population latently
infected, tuberculosis (TB), together with HIV, represents one of the most menacing diseases of
mankind [1, 2]. The contemporary TB treatment regimen requires the combination of at least 4
different antibiotics for 69 months. This situation and the increasing number of multi-drug
resistant strains (MDR) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis indicate an urgent need for new
antimycobacterial compounds and treatment strategies [2, 3].
Hitherto, many plants were found to exhibit antimycobacterial activities [4, 5]. However,
bryophytes have hardly been investigated in this respect. We therefore conducted a
bioassay-guided evaluation strategy on 13 North American bryophytes in order to evaluate their
potential antimycobacterial activities against virulent M. tuberculosis (H37Rv) in an Alamar
Blue assay (MABA). Our preliminary data showed significant inhibition (90%) of M. tuberculosis
(H37Rv) in the crude petrol-ether and dichloromethane extracts of Thuidum recognitum Hedw.
(Thuidaceae), and Leucobryum glaucum (Hedw.) Angst. (Leucobryaceae). Applying fast centrifugal
partition chromatography (FCPC), and high-speed current counter chromatography (HSCCC),
sub-fractions exhibiting 90% inhibition at 64 ug/ml could be obtained from both plants and
will be analyzed further. With regard to potential lead structures, two active diterpenes,
namely ent-3-acetoxy-trachyloban-18-al (MIC: 59.34g/ml) and ent-trachyloban-17-all (MIC:
24.36g/ml) could be isolated from lipophilic extracts of Jungermannia exsertifolia Steph.
(Jungermanniaceae). Our results suggest that bryophytes are a remarkable group of plants that
deserve further attention in the search of lead structures for new anti-tubercular drugs.
Acknowledgements: Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Vienna, Austria.
References: [1] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr08/en/index.html, [2]
Chakrabarti, B. et al. (2007) Future Microbiology 2: 5161. [3] American Thoracic Society
et.al. (2003) Am J Respir Crit Care Med 167: 60362. [4] Newton, S. et. al. (2002) Phytother
Res 17: 30322, Cantrell, L et. al. (2001) Planta Med. 67: 68594.
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