title: A short-term model for preliminary screening of potential anti-tubercular compounds.
abstract: Screening of new agents for anti-tubercular activity is a challenging task due to the virulent and slow growing nature of mycobacteria. In this study, we explored the use of Mycobacterium smegmatis as an alternate model to virulent strains. We observed that the effect of standard anti-tubercular drugs was similar in mice infected with M. smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The total duration of the experiment, including incubation time, was 10 days in the M. smegmatis-infected mice model compared with 2 months in M. tuberculosis-infected mice. This model of anti-tubercular screening is a simple, easy to carry out, less time-consuming, safer and economical alternative for preliminary in vivo screening of potential anti-tubercular agents.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S. A. S. Nagar, Punjab, India. ssjhamb@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sarbjit Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jhamb
authors.forename: Prati Pal
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D000077734:Gatifloxacin; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin