title: In vitro antimicrobial and modulatory activity of the natural products silymarin and silibinin.
abstract: Silymarin is a standardized extract from the dried seeds of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.) clinically used as an antihepatotoxic agent. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of silymarin and its major constituent (silibinin) against different microbial strains and their modulatory effect on drugs utilized in clinical practice. Silymarin demonstrated antimicrobial activity of little significance against the bacterial strains tested, with MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) values of 512 µg/mL. Meanwhile, silibinin showed significant activity against Escherichia coli with a MIC of 64 µg/mL. The results for the antifungal activity of silymarin and silibinin demonstrated a MIC of 1024 µg/mL for all strains. Silymarin and silibinin appear to have promising potential, showing synergistic properties when combined with antibacterial drugs, which should prompt further studies along this line.
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-700 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors: Dayanne Rakelly
authors: DR
authors: de Oliveira
authors: Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), 63100-000 Crato, CE, Brazil.
authors: Saulo Relison
authors: SR
authors: Tintino
authors: Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), 63100-000 Crato, CE, Brazil.
authors: Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais
authors: MF
authors: Braga
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-700 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors: Aline Augusti
authors: AA
authors: Boligon
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-700 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors: Margareth Linde
authors: ML
authors: Athayde
authors: Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA), 63100-000 Crato, CE, Brazil.
authors: Henrique Douglas Melo
authors: HD
authors: Coutinho
authors: Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional do Cariri, 63100-000 Crato,CE, Brazil.
authors: Irwin Rose Alencar
authors: IR
authors: de Menezes
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-700 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil ; Programa de Pós-Graduaçãoo em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-700 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors: Roselei
authors: R
authors: Fachinetto
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D002175:Candida / Q000254:growth & development*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000077385:Silybin; D012838:Silymarin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012838:Silymarin; D000077385:Silybin