Abstract
BackgroundCostus speciosus, Cymbopogon citratus, and Tabernaemontana coronaria are herbal plants traditionally used as remedies for symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) including cough. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the in vitro anti-TB activity of different solvent partitions of these plants, to identify the phytochemical compounds, and to assess the effects of the most active partitions on the growth kinetics and cellular integrity of the tubercle organism.MethodsThe in vitro anti-TB activity of different solvent partitions of the plant materials was determined against M. tuberculosis H37Rv using a tetrazolium colorimetric microdilution assay. The phytochemical compounds in the most active partition of each plant were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The effects of these partitions on the growth kinetics of the mycobacteria were evaluated over 7-day treatment period in a batch culture system. Their effects on the mycobacterial cellular integrity were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM).ResultsThe respective n-hexane partition of C. speciosus, C. citratus, and T. coronaria exhibited the highest anti-TB activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 100–200 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 200 μg/mL. GC-MS phytochemical analysis of these active partitions revealed that majority of the identified compounds belonged to lipophilic fatty acid groups. The active partitions of C. speciosus and T. coronaria exhibited high cidal activity in relation to time, killing more than 99% of the cell population. SEM observations showed that these active plant partitions caused multiple structural changes indicating massive cellular damages.ConclusionsThe n-hexane partition of the plant materials exhibited promising in vitro anti-TB activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Their anti-TB activity was supported by their destructive effects on the integrity of the mycobacterial cellular structure.
Highlights
Costus speciosus, Cymbopogon citratus, and Tabernaemontana coronaria are herbal plants traditionally used as remedies for symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) including cough
The n-hexane partition of the plant materials exhibited promising in vitro anti-TB activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv
In a previous preliminary study, we reported that the methanol extracts of C. speciosus and T. coronaria exhibited promising anti-TB activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 800 μg/mL against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, supporting their traditional uses in the treatment of TB [16]
Summary
Cymbopogon citratus, and Tabernaemontana coronaria are herbal plants traditionally used as remedies for symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) including cough. The scourge of M. tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of tuberculosis (TB) causes one of the world’s most devastating global health crises [1]. With the limited presence of new anti-TB drugs, the global burden of TB continues to loom with an enormous toll in morbidity and mortality [4]. Among the possibilities to discover for potential new drugs are to prospect for these agents from natural resources such as plants. The natural new drugs should be more affordable and exhibit high bactericidal capacity. A high bactericidal capacity will result in a rapid decrease in the mycobacterial load and renders the patients less infectious [9]
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