title: In Vitro Activity of Selected West African Medicinal Plants against Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease.
abstract: Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most prevalent mycobacteriosis, after tuberculosis and leprosy. The currently recommended combination of rifampicin-streptomycin suffers from side effects and poor compliance, which leads to reliance on local herbal remedies. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimycobacterial properties and toxicity of selected medicinal plants. Sixty-five extracts from 27 plant species were screened against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium smegmatis, using the Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA). The cytotoxicity of promising extracts was assayed on normal Chang liver cells by an MTT assay. Twenty five extracts showed activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 16 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL against M. smegmatis, while 17 showed activity against M. ulcerans with MIC values ranging from 125 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL. In most of the cases, plant extracts with antimycobacterial activity showed no cytotoxicity on normal human liver cells. Exception were Carica papaya, Cleistopholis patens, and Polyalthia suaveolens with 50% cell cytotoxic concentrations (CC50) ranging from 3.8 to 223 µg/mL. These preliminary results support the use of some West African plants in the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Meanwhile, further studies are required to isolate and characterize the active ingredients in the extracts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. ptsouh@gmail.com.|Antimicrobial Agents Unit, LPMPS, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé 812, Cameroon. ptsouh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Patrick Valere
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Tsouh Fokou
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. abena.adoma@live.com.
authors.forename: Abena Adomah
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kissi-Twum
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. DYeboah-Manu@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yeboah-Manu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. RAppiah-Opong@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Appiah-Opong
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Experimentation, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. PAddo@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Addo
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Agents Unit, LPMPS, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé 812, Cameroon. yamthe_lauve@yahoo.fr.|Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Yaoundé 6163, Cameroon. yamthe_lauve@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Lauve Rachel
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Tchokouaha Yamthe
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Agents Unit, LPMPS, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé 812, Cameroon. ngmfalvine@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Alvine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ngoutane Mfopa
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Agents Unit, LPMPS, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé 812, Cameroon. fabrice.boyom@fulbrightmail.org.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fekam Boyom
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra LG 581, Ghana. ANyarko@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.|Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana, Accra LG 43, Ghana. ANyarko@noguchi.ug.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Alexander Kwadwo
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nyarko
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Buruli ulcer; Mycobacterium ulcerans; cytotoxicity; medicinal plants