Antibacterial and immunological properties of piperine evidenced by preclinical studies: a systematic review.

Aim: To review in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies examining the antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties of piperine (PPN). Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines, and five databases were searched. Results: A total of 40 articles were included in this study. Six aspects of PPN activity were identified, including antibacterial spectrum, association with antibiotics, efflux pump inhibition, biofilm effects, protein target binding, and modulation of immune functions/virulence factors. Most studies focused on Mycobacterium spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. Cell lineages and in vivo models were employed to study PPN antibacterial effects. Conclusion: We highlight PPN as a potential adjuvant in the treatment of bacterial infections. PPN possesses several antibacterial properties that need further exploration to determine the mechanisms behind its pharmacological activity.

Activity of (-)-Camphene Derivatives Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Acidic pH.

BACKGROUND: For more than 60 years, the lack of new anti-tuberculosis drugs and the increase of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages exhibit a therapeutic challenge, demanding new options for the treatment of resistant tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: Herein, we determined the (i) activities of (-)-camphene and its derivatives and (ii) combinatory effect with pyrazinamide (PZA) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in acidic pH and (iii) cytotoxicity on VERO cells. METHODS: The activity of (-)-camphene and its 15 derivatives was determined in M. tuberculosis H37Rv in culture medium at pH 6.0 by Resazurin Microtiter Assay Plate (REMA). The activity and combinatory study of three (-)-camphene derivatives with PZA was carried out on seven multidrugresistant (MDR) clinical isolates by REMA and Checkerboard, respectively. The assay of 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) bromide in VERO cells was used to determine the derivatives' cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Four (-)-camphene derivatives, (4), (5a) (5d) and (5h), showed a reduction in the MIC value at pH 6.0 compared to the MIC detected at pH 6.8 in M. tuberculosis H37Rv and multidrug resistant clinical isolates. Three (-)-camphene derivatives, (4), (5d) and (5h), showed synergistic effect (FICI ≤ 0.5) combined with PZA and were more selective for M. tuberculosis than VERO cell (selective index from 7.7 to 84.2). CONCLUSION: Three (-)-camphene derivatives have shown to be promising anti-TB molecule scaffolds due to their low MIC values in acidic pH against MDR M. tuberculosis clinical isolates, synergism with PZA and low cytotoxicity.

Synthesis and anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of imide-ß-carboline and carbomethoxy-ß-carboline derivatives.

A series of methyl ß-carboline carboxylates (2a-g) and of imide-ß-carboline derivatives containing the phthalimide (4a-g), maleimide (5b, g) and succinimide (6b, e, g) moiety were synthesized, and evaluated for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. The most active ß-carboline derivatives against the reference strain were assayed for their cytotoxicity and the activity against resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates. Farther, structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were carried out using the three and four-dimensional approaches for starting to understand the way of ß-carboline activity in M. tuberculosis. All 19 ß-carboline derivatives were assayed, firstly, by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using resazurin microtiter assay plate (REMA) in M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Then, five derivatives (2c, 4a, 4e, 4g, 6g), which showed MIC ≤ 125 µg/mL, were assayed in nine resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates (five MDR, three isoniazid monoresistant and one isoniazid plus streptomycin resistant). The MIC values against the resistant clinical isolates ranged from 31.25 to >250 µg/mL. All five derivatives were non-cytotoxic to the VERO cell line, determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, at the tested concentration (selectivity index ranged from <1.74 to 14.4). Our study demonstrated that (2c) and (6g) derivatives had better anti-M. tuberculosis activity, especially against resistant clinical isolates, what makes them scaffold candidates for further investigations about their anti-tuberculosis activity. The SAR study conducted with the 19 ß-carboline derivatives showed the importance of steric effects for the synthesized ß-carbolines against M tuberculosis, and these models can be used for future proposition of new derivatives, increasing the chances of obtaining potentially anti-tuberculosis compounds.

Ginger essential oil and fractions against Mycobacterium spp.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zingiber officinale (ginger) is a perennial herbaceous plant native in tropical Asia and generally cultivated in most American tropical countries with widespread use in popular medicine. Ginger essential oil (GEO) has been reported to exhibit several biological activities, such as antimicrobial. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to determine the composition and the property of GEO and related fractions against Mtb and NTM, as well as their cytotoxicity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: GEO was obtained by hydrodistillation and fractionation was performed. Chemical characterization of GEO and fractions were carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The antimycobacterial activity was evaluated by resazurin microtiter assay plate and broth microdilution method for Mtb and NTM, respectively. The cytotoxicity in Vero cells was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. RESULTS: The analyses showed 63 compounds in the GEO sample, characterized by a high number of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. GEO fractionation rendered 11 fractions (FR1 to FR11). GEO and fractions minimum inhibitory concentration ranged from 31.25 to >250 µg/mL against Mtb and from 15.6 to >250 µg/mL against NTM. GEO showed better activity against NTM, M. chelonae, and M. abscessus sub. massiliense, than the semi-pure fractions. One fraction (FR5), containing γ-eudesmol as the main compound, was the most active against Mtb and NTM. The GEO and semi-pure fractions cytotoxicity assay showed CC50 63.3 µg/mL, and 36.3-312.5 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In general, GEO showed a mix of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and a better antimycobacterial activity than the semi-pure fractions. Cytotoxic effects of GEO and its fractions should be better investigated.

Detection of drug susceptibility in rapidly growing mycobacteria by resazurin broth microdilution assay.

The susceptibility of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) to linezolid and ciprofloxacin was evaluated by using resazurin as a growth indicator. The assay with resazurin supplemented medium performed as well as its addition to the medium at reading time and was efficient for the determination for the susceptibility profile in RGM.