title: Effects of tannins and related polyphenols on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) often acquires multi-drug resistance and is involved in many cases of disease in hospitals. We investigated natural substances directly effective against MRSA or that influence antibiotic resistance. Aloe-emodin, an anthraquinone, and several licorice flavonoids showed potent antibacterial effects against MRSA. Like some hydrolysable tannins (corilagin and tellimagrandin I) and a tea polyphenol [(-)-epicatechin gallate], the licorice flavonoid licoricidin also restored the effects of oxacillin, a beta-lactam antibiotic against MRSA. Further study revealed that theasinensin A, a polyphenol formed from (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, proanthocyanidins obtained from fruits of Zizyphus jujuba var. inermis, and polymeric proanthocyanidins from fruit peels of Zanthoxylum piperitum also suppressed the antibiotic resistance of MRSA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Tsushima, Okayama 700-8530, Japan. hatano@pharm.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.forename: Miwako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusuda
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: Tomo-omi
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Sumiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiota
authors.forename: Tomofusa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013634:Tannins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D013634:Tannins