title: Antidermatophytic and Protease-inhibiting Activities of Zerumbone: A Natural Sesquiterpene from the Rhizome ofZingiber zerumbet(L.) Roscoe ex J.E; Smith.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to increase in the number of patients with impaired immunity, incidence of dermatophytoses has increased considerably. Antidermatophytic agents with anti-inflammatory and protease-inhibiting activities will help in restricting inflammatory response associated with dermatophytoses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to evaluate antidermatophytic and protease-inhibiting activities of zerumbone. Cytotoxicity was tested using Chang liver cell line as a preliminary step in toxicity study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of zerumbone purified from the rhizome ofZingiber zerumbetwere determined againstEpidermophyton floccosumvar. nigricans,Microsporum canis,Microsporum gypseum, andTrichophyton rubrum. MIC was determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) method M38-A2. Protease-inhibiting property was tested using trypsin as the enzyme.In vitrocytotoxic effect was studied using the MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MIC of zerumbone was 8 mg/L againstE. floccosumandM. canisand 16 mg/L forM. gypseumandT. rubrum. MFC of zerumbone was 64 mg/L againstE. floccosumandM. canisand 128 mg/L forM. gypseumandT. rubrum. Zerumbone exhibited remarkable protease-inhibiting activity. In the MTT assay, IC50values were 150 and 0.31 µg, respectively, for zerumbone and reference drug.
  
  
  METHODS
  For protease inhibition, assay and cytotoxicity assay control and tests were done in triplicate and the results are expressed as mean ± SD, wheren= 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zerumbone is a novel candidate for use in dermatophytoses therapy because of the combined antifungal, anti-inflammatory (unpublished results), and protease-inhibiting properties. Cytotoxicity of zerumbone was found to be very low compared with the reference drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zerumbone possesses antidermatophytic, anti-inflammatory, and protease-inhibiting activities. Hence, it is a novel candidate for the development of new antidermatophytic drug.Cytotoxicity of zerumbone against Chang liver cell line was found to be very low compared with the reference drug doxorubicin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zerumbone isolated from the rhizome ofZingiber zerumbetexhibited antidermatophytic activity againstE. floccosumandM. canis(MIC 8 mg/L) andM. gypseumandT. Rubrum(MIC 16 mg/L).Zerumbone exhibited remarkable protease-inhibiting activity.Zerumbone is a novel candidate for the development of new antidermatophytic drug.Cytotoxicity of zerumbone against Chang liver cell line was found to be very low compared with the reference drug doxorubicin.Abbreviations used:CFU: colony forming unit, CLSI: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, COX: cyclooxygenase, DMSO: dimethyl sulphoxide, EDTA: ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid, FT-IR: Fourier transform-infra red spectroscopy, HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography, LOX: lipoxygenase, IMTECH: Institute of Microbial Technology, LCMS: liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, MTT: 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, MTCC: microbial type culture collection, MFC: minimum fungicidal concentration, MIC: minimum inhibitory concentration, MPO: myeloperoxidase, NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, PAR: proteinase-activated receptor, PBS: phosphate-buffered saline, TCA: trichloro acetic acid.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Pharmacognosy Research Lab, School of Biosciences, M.G. University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Madhavankutty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jyothilakshmi
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Research Lab, School of Biosciences, M.G. University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jyothis
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Devaswom Board College, Thalayolaparambu, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Gokulanathan Nair Hari
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Pharmacognosy Research Lab, School of Biosciences, M.G. University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Mukalel Sankunni
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Latha
keywords: Epidermophyton; microsporum; protease; trichophyton; trypsin