Antibacterial potentiality ofMesua ferrea Linn. flowers

Cytotoxic 4-phenylcoumarins from the flowering buds of Mesua ferrea

Eleven 4-phenylcoumarins including three new 4-phenylcoumarins, mesuaferols A-C (1-3), together with eight known 4-phenylcoumarins (4-11) have been isolated from the flowering buds of Mesua ferrea. Their structures were elucidated via UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR spectral data. Compound 9 showed moderate cytotoxic activity toward MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, HepG2 and HeLa cell lines with IC50 values of 13.68 ± 1.36 μM, 9.27 ± 1.84 μM, 21.06 ± 1.95 μM, and 7.26 ± 1.68 μM, respectively, and other compounds showed weak cytotoxicity.

The Effect of Ethanol Extract from Mesua ferrea Linn Flower on Alzheimer's Disease and Its Underlying Mechanism

The effects of Mesua ferrea Linn flower (MFE) extract on the pathogenic cascade of Alzheimer's disease (AD) were determined by an in vitro and cell culture model in the search for a potential candidate for the treatment of AD. The 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay exhibited that the MFE extract had antioxidant activities. According to the Ellman and the thioflavin T method's result, the extracts could inhibit acetylcholinesterase and β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation. Studies on neuroprotection in cell culture found that the MFE extract could reduce the death of human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) caused by H₂O₂ and Aβ. Western blot analysis exhibited that the MFE extract alleviated H₂O₂-induced neuronal cell damage by downregulating the pro-apoptotic proteins, including cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and by enhancing the expression of anti-apoptotic markers including MCl₁, BCl_xl, and survivin. Moreover, MFE extract inhibited the expression of APP, presenilin 1, and BACE, and increased the expression of neprilysin. In addition, the MFE extract could enhance scopolamine-induced memory deficit in mice. Overall, results showed that the MFE extract had several modes of action related to the AD pathogenesis cascade, including antioxidants, anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-Aβ aggregation, and neuroprotection against oxidative stress and Aβ. Therefore, the M. ferrea L. flower might be a possibility for further development as a medication for AD.

The potentiation of beta-lactam and anti-bacterial activities of lipophilic constituents from Mesua ferrae leaves against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

OBJECTIVES

Mesua ferrae, from the family of Calophyllaceae, is traditionally used for the treatment of piles, fever and renal disorders. The present study was aimed to examine the antibacterial compounds from the leaves of M. ferrae and their β-lactam antibiotic potentiate activities against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

METHODS

Stigmasterol (1) and β-caryophyllene oxide (2) were isolated from the n-hexane fraction of the leaves of M. ferrae using a bioassay-guided fractionation approach.

RESULTS

The isolated compounds displayed anti-Staphylococcus and anti-MRSA activities. It is worth to note that both compounds demonstrated synergism with β-lactam antibiotics against S. aureus and MRSA. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis indicated the n-hexane fraction was dominated by triterpenes and sesquiterpenes, suggesting the total antibacterial activity exhibited by the fraction.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings, it could conclude that M. ferrae is a promising natural source for the discovery of new anti-MRSA lead compounds.

Anti-virulence activities of biflavonoids from Mesua ferrea L. flower

Based on the anti-virulence activity on Salmonella, the ethyl acetate extract (EAE) of Mesua ferrea flower was investigated for its chemical constituents. Ten purified compounds were identified and assayed for their inhibitory activity against Type III secretion system (T3SS) by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blots experiments. We found the biflavonoids, rhusflavanone and mesuaferrone B, exhibited inhibitory effects on the secretion of Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1) effector proteins (SipA, B, C and D) without effecting the bacterial growth. In addition, 5, 6, 6'-trihydroxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3,3'-dicarboxylic acid (6) is a new natural product from M. ferrea flower.

Cytotoxic xanthones from the roots of Mesua ferrea L

Five undescribed xanthones, 4-methoxypyranojacareubin, 4-hydroxy-3-prenylpyranoxanthone, 1-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyxanthone, 5-hydroxy-1,6,7-trimethoxyxanthone and 2-hydroxy-1,5-dimethoxyxanthone, together with thirty-three known xanthones were isolated from the roots of Mesua ferrea L. The structures of all isolated xanthones were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods. 5-Hydroxy-1,6,7-trimethoxyxanthone and 2-hydroxy-1,5-dimethoxyxanthone were also confirmed by X-ray diffraction data. In addition, the isolated compounds were determined for antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The known 1,5,6-trihydroxyxanthone showed cytotoxicity against A375, PC-3 and HaCaT cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 5.73 μg/mL, 5.93 μg/mL and 8.94 μg/mL, respectively.

Assessing medicinal plants traditionally used in the Chirang Reserve Forest, Northeast India for antimicrobial activity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Knowledge on the use of plants for different ailments by the tribals of the Chirang Reserve Forest (CRF, Northeast India) was used to assess the potential of these plants for treating viral, bacterial and fungal infections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fieldwork in the CRF documented the use of plants for the treatment of various human ailments. The ethnobotanical data were analysed using different quantitative indices viz. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Relative Frequency Citation (RFC), Fidelity Level (FL), Relative Popularity Level (RPL) and Rank Order Priority (ROP). For each plant, four extracts were prepared with different solvents (water, ethanol, acetone and hexane) and tested for bioactivity such as antiviral (Enterovirus 71) and antimicrobial (E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans) effects. To develop fingerprints, thin layer chromatography (TLC) was carried out with at least one extract of each active plant.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven plant species belonging to 26 families used frequently in the CRF were categorised into twenty disease(s) and markedly high ICF values (0.5-1) were found. The FL of the 19 most important plant species ranged from 10% to 100%. Aglaia spectabilis, Actinodaphne obovata, Bischofia javanica, Gmelina arborea, Hodgsonia macrocarpa and Mesua ferrea were the most popular plant species with RPL values > 0.4. The most commonly treated diseases were skin infections, worm infections, diarrhoea, dysentery, common cold and throat infections, cough and respiratory problems, fever, malaria, rheumatism, pain, stomach ache and gastric problems. Among the taxonomic families, the most represented are Lauraceae (4 species); Meliaceae (3 species), Euphorbiaceae, Elaecarpoceae, Magnoliaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae and Myrtaceae (2 species each). Of these, 35 plants (95%) with 91 of their extracts were found to be active against S. aureus (inhibition > 50%). Similarly, over half of the tested plants inhibited growth of E. coli (19 plants with 31 extracts) while 9 plants with 14 extracts were active against C. albicans. Moreover, one-third (12) of the plants showed anti-enteroviral activity. TLC analysis of the extracts indicates the presence of different phytochemical classes such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids and saponins based on observing characteristic spots under visible or UV light (254 or 360 nm), with or without derivatisation.

CONCLUSIONS

Thirty-seven plants commonly used by the tribes of the CRF as anti-infective agents offer perspectives for further research, as the phytochemistry and phytopharmacology for most of these plants have not been published to date.

Investigation on the Antibacterial and Anti-T3SS Activity of Traditional Myanmar Medicinal Plants

Myanmar has a rich pool of, but less known, medicinal plants with traditional knowledge. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of traditional Myanmar medicinal plants against the type III secretion system (T3SS) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium UK-1 χ8956 and the intestinal disease-caused by microbes including S. enterica serovar Typhimurium UK-1 χ8956, Proteusbacillus vulgaris CPCC 160013, Escherichia coli CICC 10003, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The EtOH extracts of 93 samples were used to screen the inhibitory activities against the secretion of T3SS effector proteins SipA/B/C/D of S. enterica and the antibacterial activity against S. enterica, P. vulgaris, E. coli, and S. aureus. Out of 71 crude drugs traditionally used, 18 were proofed to be effective either on the growth inhibition of tested bacteria and/or as inhibitors for the T3SS. The EtOH extracts of five plants, Luvunga scandens (Roxb.) Buch.-Ham. ex Wight & Arn. (My7), Myrica nagi Thunb. (My11), Terminalia citrina Roxb. ex Fleming (My21), Thymus vulgaris L. (My49), and Cinnamomum bejolghota (Buch.-Ham.) Sweet (My104), showed potent inhibitory activities against the secretion of T3SS proteins SipA/B/C/D of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium UK-1 χ 8956. Mansonia gagei J.R.Drumm (My3) and Mesua ferrea (Roxb.) L. (My10) showed strong antibacterial activities against P. vulgaris and S. aureus. This study provided the first scientific evidence of T3SS prohibiting and antibacterial properties for the traditional knowledge in Myanmar of using plants as medicines for treating infections and gastrointestinal disease. Further researches are proposed to discover the active chemical compounds and mechanism of L. scandens (Roxb.) Buch.-Ham. ex Wight & Arn, M. nagi Thunb., T. citrina Roxb. ex Fleming, T. vulgaris L., and C. bejolghota (Buch.-Ham.) Sweet as antivirulence drugs and the potential of M. gagei J.R.Drumm and M. ferrea L. as new broad spectrum plant antibiotics.

A New Antimicrobial Anthrone from the Leaf Latex of Aloe trichosantha

Phytochemical investigation of the leaf latex of Aloe trichosantha by preparative TLC gave two closely related anthrones, aloin A/B (1) and aloin-6'-O-acetate A/B (2). The identity of the compounds was established from HRESI-MS, 1H, 13C, DEPT, HMQC and HMBC spectral and chemical data. Whilst aloin A/B occurs in several Aloe species, aloin-6'-O-acetate A/B was isolated for the first time. The isolated compounds inhibited growth of several bacterial and fungal pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 10 to 400 μg/mL and 800 to 1000 μg/mL, respectively.

Mesua beccariana (Clusiaceae), a source of potential anti-cancer lead compounds in drug discovery

An investigation on biologically active secondary metabolites from the stem bark of Mesua beccariana was carried out. A new cyclodione, mesuadione (1), along with several known constituents which are beccamarin (2), 2,5-dihydroxy-1,3,4-trimethoxy anthraquinone (3), 4-methoxy-1,3,5-trihydroxyanthraquinone (4), betulinic acid (5) and stigmasterol (6) were obtained from this ongoing research. Structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D-NMR, GC-MS, IR and UV techniques. Preliminary tests of the in vitro cytotoxic activities of all the isolated metabolites against a panel of human cancer cell lines Raji (lymphoma), SNU-1 (gastric carcinoma), K562 (erythroleukemia cells), LS-174T (colorectal adenocarcinoma), HeLa (cervical cells), SK-MEL-28 (malignant melanoma cells), NCI-H23 (lung adenocarcinoma), IMR-32 (neuroblastoma) and Hep-G2 (hepatocellular liver carcinoma) were carried out using an MTT assay. Mesuadione (1), beccamarin (2), betulinic acid (5) and stigmasterol (6) displayed strong inhibition of Raji cell proliferation, while the proliferation rate of SK-MEL-28 and HeLa were strongly inhibited by stigmasterol (6) and beccamarin (2), indicating these secondary metabolites could be anti-cancer lead compounds in drug discovery.

Composition, Antimicrobial and Free-radical Scavenging Activities of the Essential Oil of Plectranthus marrubatus

Essential oil from the aerial part of Plectranthus marrubatus J. K. Morton (Lamiaceae), obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and evaluated for antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activities. Twenty-four compounds representing 99% of the total oil were identified. The major constituents were thymol, p-cymene and γ-terpinene. The oil was tested against 21 bacterial and 4 fungal strains using the disc diffusion method and found to be active against a broad spectrum of pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as some fungal strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the oil against the bacterial strains tested ranged from 10 to 800 μg/mL, and from 400 to 800 μg/mL against the fungal strains employed. The in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) and showed a low EC50 value of 0.15 μl/mL. The study provides evidence for the broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant effect of Plectranthus marrubatus essential oil, and a possible explanation for its traditional use in the treatment of cold, fever, stomach disorder, diarrhea and as a skin cleaner.

rac-[3-Hydroxy-6,9-dimethyl-6-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)-6a,7,8,9,10,10a-hexahydro-6H-1,9-epoxybenzo[c]chromen-4-yl](phenyl)methanone

The title compound congestiflorone, C(28)H(32)O(4), which was isolated from the stem bark of Mesua congestiflora, consists of a benzophenone skeleton with two attached pyran rings to which a cyclo-hexane ring and a C6 side chain are bonded. The benzene ring is significantly distorted from planarity (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0007 Å) due to the constraints imposed by junctions with the two pyran rings. The cyclo-hexane ring is in a chair conformation, one pyran ring is in a boat conformation, while the other is a distorted chair. The phenyl and benzene rings make a dihedral angle of 55.85 (9)°. An intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked via C-H⋯O inter-actions.

Antiarthritic activity of various extracts of Mesua ferrea Linn. seed

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Mesua ferrea Linn. (Cluciaseae), Cobra's saffron, is named after the heaviness of its timber and is cultivated in tropical climates for its form, foliage, and fragrant flowers. It is prescribed in the Ayurvedic literature for the treatment of pain, inflammation, and rheumatic conditions.

OBJECTIVE

In present investigation, activity of Mesua ferrea and its evaluation in the formaldehyde and Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis in rats is reported.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The extracts obtained from successive extraction were subjected to preliminary phytochemical investigation and antiarthritic activity was evaluated by inducing formaldehyde and CFA. Body weight changes and haematological parameters were measured.

RESULTS

The results indicate that Mesua ferrea protects rats against formaldehyde and CFA induced arthritis. The body weight changes and haematological perturbations induced by CFA were maintained. The overall results indicated that Mesua ferrea exerts a potent protective effect against formaldehyde and adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that the present study validates the ethnomedicinal use of seeds of Mesua ferrea in the treatment of arthritis conditions.

Antimicrobial potentiality of Phyllanthus amarus against drug resistant pathogens

The antimicrobial potentiality of the methanolic extract of Phyllanthus amarus (Family: Euphorbiaceae) was studied against some drug resistant pathogenic bacterial strains by disc diffusion and agar dilution method. The extract showed significant concentration-dependent antibacterial activity particularly against gram-negative microbes. The study illustrated the claim of the usefulness of the plant in dysenteric and diarrheal infections and also suggested its use in fever. The antibacterial action was mainly due to the isolated phyllanthin.