title: Antimethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity of 'pacific propolis' and isolated prenylflavanones.
abstract: The need to discover and develop alternative therapies to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections is timely. This study was undertaken to purify and identify some anti-MRSA constituents from propolis, a natural product from the beehive traditionally used in folk medicine for its antimicrobial properties. A crude extract of propolis originating from the Solomon Islands ('Pacific propolis') was screened, using an agar dilution assay, in vitro against 15 MRSA clinical isolates. Results revealed activity worthy of further investigation, and subsequent purification work on this crude extract afforded 23 fractions. Further purification of active fractions led to the isolation of compounds 1-4, characterized upon analysis of their spectroscopic data (1D- and 2D-NMR, MS) and by comparison with the literature, as the prenylflavanones propolin H (1), propolin G (2), propolin D (3), and propolin C (4). This study is the first to report the anti-MRSA activity of 'Pacific propolis' and the presence of prenylflavanones in the propolis sample selected. The anti-MRSA activity of propolin D (3) (MIC 8-16 mg/L) and propolin C (4) (MIC 8-32 mg/L) is reported for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Research Laboratories, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Raghavendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raghukumar
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vali
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fearnley
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seidel
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D044950:Flavanones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011429:Propolis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D044950:Flavanones; D011429:Propolis