Abstract
Global tuberculosis (TB) burden underscores the importance of developing new effective anti-TB drugs. This study was concerned with prospecting for potential anti-TB agents from Malaysian medicinal plants. In our previous study, we have reported that n-hexane fractions of Costus speciosus (C. speciosus) (J. Koening) Sm., Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus ) (DC.) Stapf. and Tabernaemontana coronaria (T. coronaria) (Jacq.) posses promising anti-TB activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) H37Rv with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 200–100 µg/mL. This study aimed to investigate the interactions of these active fractions with first-line anti-TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and streptomycin) against M. tuberculosis H37Rv using the microdilution checkerboard method. C. citratus (stem-rhizome) n-hexane fraction exhibited synergism with all drugs except ethambutol which showed additive interaction. Synergistic was also observed when C. speciosus (stem-flower) n-hexane and T. coronaria (leaf) n-hexane fractions in combination with rifampicin. C. speciosus (stem-flower) n-hexane and T. coronaria (leaf) n-hexane exhibited additive interaction with isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin. Hence, these active plants are worthy of further investigations for the discovery of anti-TB drug leads.
Highlights
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis)
We have reported that n-hexane fractions of Costus speciosus (C. speciosus)
This study aimed to investigate the interactions of these active fractions with first-line anti-TB drugs against M. tuberculosis H37Rv using the microdilution checkerboard method
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). In TB drug discovery development, evaluation of the activity of novel combinations of new anti-TB agents, regardless of their origins, with the existing first-line drugs is imperative in order to achieve mycobactericidal synergism. Many potentially significant advantages are associated with the synergistic interactions of different plant extracts and antibiotics. These advantages include increased efficacy, reduction of side effects and increase in stability or bioavailability of the bioactive constituents, and achieving an adequate therapeutic effect with smaller doses (Hemaiswarya, Kruthiventi and Doble 2008; Inui et al 2007). The alternative approach of combination therapy of existing drugs and bioactive plant extracts against infectious diseases is a novel concept, which has garnered significant attention
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