Antibacterial alkaloids from chelidonium majus linn (papaveraceae) against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the antibacterial effect of extracts and compounds isolated from the aerial part of Chelidonium majus Linn. (Papaveraceae) acting against clinical strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).


METHODS
The activities were evaluated by using the macrobroth dilution method and reported as the MICs/MBCs.


RESULTS
Bioassay-guided fractionation of the most active extract from the aerial parts (EtOAc) led to the isolation of benzo[c]phenanthridine-type alkaloids 8-hydroxydihydrosanguinarine (hhS), 8-hydroxydihydrochelerythrine (hhC), which were potently active against MRSA strains.


CONCLUSIONS
The selective antibacterial activity reported in this paper for 8-hydroxylated benzo[c]phenanthridine-type alkaloids isolated from C.majus opens the possibility that they could be helpful for the developing of new antibacterial agents for treating the infection of MRSA which has created nosocomial problem worldwide.
Zuo
Guo Ying
GY
Research Center for Natural Medicines, Kunming General Hospital, PLA, Kunming, China. zuoguoying@263.net
Meng
Fan Yan
FY
Hao
Xiao Yan
XY
Zhang
Yun Ling
YL
Wang
Gen Chun
GC
Xu
Gui Li
GL
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
D000470:Alkaloids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts