In Vitro Activity of Selected West African Medicinal Plants against Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease

Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou, Abena Adomah Kissi-Twum, Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Regina Appiah-Opong, Phyllis Addo, Lauve Rachel Tchokouaha Yamthe, Alvine Ngoutane Mfopa, Fabrice Fekam Boyom, Alexander Kwadwo Nyarko

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most prevalent mycobacteriosis, after tuberculosis and leprosy. The currently recommended combination of rifampicin-streptomycin suffers from side effects and poor compliance, which leads to reliance on local herbal remedies. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimycobacterial properties and toxicity of selected medicinal plants. Sixty-five extracts from 27 plant species were screened against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium smegmatis, using the Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA). The cytotoxicity of promising extracts was assayed on normal Chang liver cells by an MTT assay. Twenty five extracts showed activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 16 μg/mL to 250 μg/mL against M. smegmatis, while 17 showed activity against M. ulcerans with MIC values ranging from 125 μg/mL to 250 μg/mL. In most of the cases, plant extracts with antimycobacterial activity showed no cytotoxicity on normal human liver cells. Exception were Carica papaya, Cleistopholis patens, and Polyalthia suaveolens with 50% cell cytotoxic concentrations (CC50 ) ranging from 3.8 to 223 μg/mL. These preliminary results support the use of some West African plants in the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Meanwhile, further studies are required to isolate and characterize the active ingredients in the extracts.

Original languageEnglish
Article number445
JournalMolecules
Volume21
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Buruli ulcer
  • Cytotoxicity
  • Medicinal plants
  • Mycobacterium ulcerans

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