Abstract
BackgroundBoswellic acids are pentacyclic triterpenes, which are produced in plants belonging to the genus Boswellia. Boswellic acids appear in the resin exudates of the plant and it makes up 25-35% of the resin. β-boswellic acid, 11-keto-β-boswellic acid and acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid have been implicated in apoptosis of cancer cells, particularly that of brain tumors and cells affected by leukemia or colon cancer. These molecules are also associated with potent antimicrobial activities. The present study describes the antimicrobial activities of boswellic acid molecules against 112 pathogenic bacterial isolates including ATCC strains. Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), which exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity, was further evaluated in time kill studies, postantibiotic effect (PAE) and biofilm susceptibility assay. The mechanism of action of AKBA was investigated by propidium iodide uptake, leakage of 260 and 280 nm absorbing material assays.ResultsAKBA was found to be the most active compound showing an MIC range of 2-8 μg/ml against the entire gram positive bacterial pathogens tested. It exhibited concentration dependent killing of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 up to 8 × MIC and also demonstrated postantibiotic effect (PAE) of 4.8 h at 2 × MIC. Furthermore, AKBA inhibited the formation of biofilms generated by S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and also reduced the preformed biofilms by these bacteria. Increased uptake of propidium iodide and leakage of 260 and 280 nm absorbing material by AKBA treated cells of S aureus indicating that the antibacterial mode of action of AKBA probably occurred via disruption of microbial membrane structure.ConclusionsThis study supported the potential use of AKBA in treating S. aureus infections. AKBA can be further exploited to evolve potential lead compounds in the discovery of new anti-Gram-positive and anti-biofilm agents.
Highlights
Boswellic acids are pentacyclic triterpenes, which are produced in plants belonging to the genus Boswellia
Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of boswellic acids The in vitro antibacterial activities of boswellic acids were tested on a group of clinically significant Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria (Table 1)
The activity of Acetyl-11-keto-bboswellic acid (AKBA) was limited to Gram-positive bacteria only as its MIC was >128 μg/ml against Escherichia coli ATCC 25292 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (Gram-negative pathogens used in this study)
Summary
Boswellic acids are pentacyclic triterpenes, which are produced in plants belonging to the genus Boswellia. Bboswellic acid, 11-keto-b-boswellic acid and acetyl-11-keto-b-boswellic acid have been implicated in apoptosis of cancer cells, that of brain tumors and cells affected by leukemia or colon cancer. These molecules are associated with potent antimicrobial activities. Gram-positive bacterial pathogens are a significant cause of nosocomial infections that are important causes of morbidity and mortality [1]. Grampositive bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia and Enterococcus faecalis are clinically significant and the antibiotic resistance in these pathogens has become one of the major worldwide health problems. Biofilm infections are difficult to treat due to their inherent antibiotic resistance [11,12]
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