In vitro: |
Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019 Jan;53(1):70-73. | Isovalerylshikonin, a new resistance-modifying agent from Arnebia euchroma, supresses antimicrobial resistance of drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.[Pubmed: 30176356 ] | Antimicrobial resistance is the greatest threat to the treatment of bacterial infectious diseases. The development of resistance-modifying agents (RMAs) represents a promising strategy to mitigate the spread of bacterial antimicrobial resistance.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In this study, a natural product, isovalerylshikonin (IVS), was isolated from Arnebia euchroma, a traditional Chinese medicine herb, that exhibited marginal antibacterial activity against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus RN4220, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16 mg/L. In addition, a synergistic effect between IVS and streptomycin (STM) was detected by the microdilution antimicrobial chequerboard assay, with a reduction in the MIC of STM by up to 16-fold against strain RN4220. A bacterial ethidium bromide efflux assay and reverse transcription PCR were performed to investigate the synergistic mechanism. IVS significantly inhibited bacterial efflux and expression of msrA mRNA in vitro. A murine peritonitis/sepsis model was employed to test the in vivo synergistic activity of IVS and STM. IVS synergistically decreased bacterial counts with STM in peritoneal, spleen and liver tissue and increased mouse survival with STM in 7 days. The acute toxicity of IVS was tested and the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of IVS with a single exposure was 2.584 g/kg in mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall, IVS, a low-toxicity RMA, exhibited synergistic antibacterial activities in vitro and in vivo against drug-resistant S. aureus. The effects were mediated by suppression of msrA mRNA expression and reduced bacterial efflux. In addition, these data support that IVS is a potential RMA against microbial resistance caused by the MsrA efflux pump. | Molecules. 2017 Jun 16;22(6). pii: E1002. | Identification of Onosma visianii Roots Extract and Purified Shikonin Derivatives as Potential Acaricidal Agents against Tetranychus urticae.[Pubmed: 28621748 ] | There is an increasing need for the discovery of reliable and eco-friendly pesticides and natural plant-derived products may play a crucial role as source of new active compounds. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this research, a lipophilic extract of Onosma visianii roots extract containing 12% of shikonin derivatives demonstrated significant toxicity and inhibition of oviposition against Tetranychus urticae mites. Extensive chromatographic separation allowed the isolation of 11 naphthoquinone derivatives that were identified by spectral techniques and were tested against Tetranychus urticae.
CONCLUSIONS:
All the isolated compounds presented effects against the considered mite and isobutylshikonin (1) and isovalerylshikonin (2) were the most active, being valuable model compounds for the study of new anti-mite agents. |
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