Antimycobacterial activity of Indigofera suffruticosa with activation potential of the innate immune system

Pharm Biol. 2010 Aug;48(8):878-82. doi: 10.3109/13880200903303471.

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for over 8 million cases of tuberculosis (TB) annually. Natural products may play important roles in the chemotherapy of TB. The antimycobacterial activity and the innate immune response of methanol (METH) and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of Indigofera suffruticosa Miller (Fabaceae) were evaluated. We observed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for METH and DCM extracts were 125 and 1000 microg/mL, respectively. However, they were able to induce the innate immune response through the production of high levels of NO and TNF-alpha (p < 0.001) by peritoneal exudate cells (PECs). These results suggest that I. suffruticosa extracts may have an important immunological role in the control of TB once macrophage activity is induced by them.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / immunology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Indigofera*
  • Mice
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology
  • Plant Components, Aerial
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Plant Extracts