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Study tuberculosis drug from African medicinal plant
Endophytic fungi seem to be a promising source of new drugs. Dusseldorf researchers have identified and found the new active substance chloroflavin, which has a new mode of action against tuberculosis.
Endophytic fungi release drugs, scientists have explored. Image: Alexander Raths - Fotolia Endophytic fungi live within plants and supply their nutrients, but also protect their hosts, such as by forming antibacterial or other protective substances. Therefore, these fungi have increasingly come into the focus of drug discovery in recent years.
Dusseldorf scientists extracted from the medicinal plant Moringa stenopetala used in traditional medicine of Cameroon the endophytic fungus Mucor irregularis and from this in turn an active substance: the so-called chloroflavin. Its antimicrobial effect was tested for the spectrum of action. It was found that chloroflavin specifically has an antibacterial effect against the tuberculosis pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
It was also the site of action and mechanism against the tuberculosis pathogens are determined: inhibited is the production of important amino acids in the pathogen, which hinders its metabolism and proliferation.
Of particular importance is that chloroflavin also acts against multi- and extremely resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis - so-called XDR isolates. These are becoming more of a problem, not least because the last new anti-tuberculosis drugs were developed in the 1970s. Today, a therapy is very time-consuming, time-consuming and rich in side effects: over at least six months, four different drugs must be taken. Especially in poorer countries, this costly treatment is often not maintained, but often stopped when the symptoms go down. If necessary, chloroflavin may help to significantly reduce therapy time. The study can be found here.