The use of botanical medicine by practitioners and the general public has dramatically increased in recent years. Most of these botanical therapeutics are obtained through commercial manufacturers or nutraceutical companies. The current standard of practice that manufacturers typically use to standardize botanicals is done based on the level of a well-known, abundant marker compound present in the botanical. This study evaluated the putative correlation between the level of a marker compound and the biological activity of eight common botanicals. Overall, the standardization of a botanical based on a marker compound was found not to be a reliable method when compared to in vitro bioactivity. A marker compound is often not the biologically active component of a plant and therefore the level of such a marker compound does not necessarily correlate with biological activity or therapeutic efficacy.
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen. Over-and improper-use of pharmaceuticals against S. aureus has led to the development of antibiotic resistance, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). This study examined the efficacy of botanical extracts as an alternative form of treatment to S. aureus and MRSA, including penicillin/methicillin-resistant S. aureus (Pen R ), and multidrug resistant S. aureus (MDR). Initial screening of botanicals was done via a minimum inhibitory concentration procedure. In addition, a temporal growth curve was performed in order to quantify the growth of the bacteria in the presence of the extracts. Results demonstrated 13 botanicals that had varying activities against S. aureus, Pen R , and MDR. These botanicals were separated into mild, moderate, and highly efficacious based on the concentration needed to inhibit bacterial growth. These results propose a comparison of botanical-derived antimicrobial extracts that may be utilized against S. aureus and different antibiotic resistant strains of MRSA.
Background β-lactam antibiotics are a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics consisting of all antibiotic agents that contain a β-lactam ring in their molecular structures. β-lactam antibiotics are only known to be isolated from fungi (e.g. Acremonium chrysogenum, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus nidulans) and bacteria (e.g. Streptomyces clavuligerus). We have shown that botanical extracts prepared from Larrea tridentata have strong antimicrobial activity against several bacteria, including members of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus genera. Methods Through resistance studies, inhibitor assays, and ELISA testing, we demonstrated L. tridentata extracts may contain a β-lactam type antibiotic activity. Results Based on the estimated β-lactam concentration within the extract, the antimicrobial activity of the L. tridentata extract was approximately 2000–8000-fold greater against Staphylococcus as compared to other β-lactams, penicillin or ampicillin. In the L. tridentata extract, this increased activity was found to be associated with the likely presence of a cofactor leading to increased potentiation of the β-lactam activity. This potentiation activity was also observed to enhance the activity of exogenously added natural penicillin antibiotics. Conclusions Although constituents were not isolated in this study, the results obtained strongly support the presence of β-lactam type antibiotic activity and antibiotic potentiation activity present in ethanolic extracts prepared from L. tridentata.
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