title: Antimycobacterial activity of (E)-phytol and derivatives: a preliminary structure-activity study.
abstract: The crude methanol extract of the Kenyan shrub Leucas volkensii Gürke (Labiatae) displayed in a radiorespirometric bioassay antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract led to the identification of (E)-phytol as the principal active component with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 micrograms/ml, a value also observed for (3R,S,7R,11R)-phytanol, (Z)-phytol, and a commercially available 2:1 mixture of (E)- and (Z)-phytol. The derivatives (E)-phytol acetate, a mixture of the (2S,3S)- and (2R,3R)-isomers of (E)-phytol epoxide and (3R,S,7R,11R)-phytanic acid displayed lower activities with MICs of 8, 16, and > 128 micrograms/ml, respectively. Geraniol and farnesol, displayed MICs of 64 and 8 micrograms/ml, respectively. The activities of (E)-phytol, (Z)-phytol and (3R,S,7R,11R)-phytanol were found to be in the same range as ethambutol, a clinically useful drug with an MIC in the range 0.95-3.8 micrograms/ml.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Moi University, Eldorel, Kenya.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rajab
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Franzblau
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010836:Phytol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D010836:Phytol