title: In vitro anti-mycobacterial activity of nine medicinal plants used by ethnic groups in Sonora, Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sonoran ethnic groups (Yaquis, Mayos, Seris, Guarijíos, Pimas, Kikapúes and Pápagos) use mainly herbal based preparations as their first line of medicinal treatment. Among the plants used are those with anti-tuberculosis properties; however, no formal research is available.
  
  
  METHODS
  Organic extracts were obtained from nine medicinal plants traditionally used by Sonoran ethnic groups to treat different kinds of diseases; three of them are mainly used to treat tuberculosis. All of the extracts were tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using the Alamar Blue redox bioassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methanolic extracts from Ambrosia confertiflora, Ambrosia ambrosioides and Guaiacum coulteri showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 200, 790 and 1000 μg/mL, respectively, whereas no effect was observed with the rest of the methanolic extracts at the concentrations tested. Chloroform, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate extracts from Ambrosia confertiflora showed a MIC of 90, 120 and 160 μg/mL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A. confertiflora and A. ambrosioides showed the best anti-mycobacterial activity in vitro. The activity of Guaiacum coulteri is consistent with the traditional use by Sonoran ethnic groups as anti-tuberculosis agent.For these reasons, it is important to investigate a broader spectrum of medicinal plants in order to find compounds active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Biological Science Department, Biological and Health Sciences Division, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. agaribay@guayacan.uson.mx.
authors.forename: Ramón Enrique
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Robles-Zepeda
authors.forename: Enrique Wenceslao
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Coronado-Aceves
authors.forename: Carlos Arturo
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Contreras
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Bustos
authors.forename: Moisés
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navarro-Navarro
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garibay-Escobar
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts