title: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay is a rapid, cheap, screening test for the in vitro anti-tuberculous activity of chalcones.
abstract: Rapid and reliable drug susceptibility testing facilitates replenishment of the TB drug pipeline in the fight against drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This study compared the performance of the MTT and MABA assays on the anti-tuberculous activity of a set of chalcones. Twenty seven chalcones and chromenochalcones were screened against the laboratory strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv, using a microtitre plate MTT assay at 7 days. The MIC for 20 active compounds was subsequently determined using the MABA, MTT and the Macroscopic broth assays at 7, 14 and 21 days. No significant difference in the MICs, or increase in the MICs was observed over time between the MABA (p=0.209) and the MTT (p=0.207) assays, in contrast to the gold standard, the Macroscopic broth assay (p=0.000). The MICs (16 to >128μg/ml) were much higher than the currently used TB drugs. In conclusion, the MTT assay is a cost effective method (R0.06/well) for the rapid in vitro screening of chalcones against M. tuberculosis, producing reliable results in 8 days. The chalcone with a MIC of 16μg/mL shows promise as a potential lead compound and should be investigated further.
authors: Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors: Suventha
authors: S
authors: Moodley
authors: School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
authors: Neil A
authors: NA
authors: Koorbanally
authors: School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
authors: Thrineshen
authors: T
authors: Moodley
authors: School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa.
authors: Deresh
authors: D
authors: Ramjugernath
authors: Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Electronic address: Pillayc@ukzn.ac.za.
authors: Manormoney
authors: M
authors: Pillay
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D047188:Chalcones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005562:Formazans / Q000378:metabolism*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D047188:Chalcones; D005562:Formazans; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C079782:MTT formazan
keywords: Alamar blue; Fluorochalcones; M. tuberculosis; MIC; MTT; Macroscopic broth method