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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Efficacy of Artemisia afra phytotherapy in experimental tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, Volume 89, No. SUPPL.1, Year 2009
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Description
Artemisia afra [Jacq] (Asteraceae) phytotherapy is widely used for its medicinal properties in traditional practices. In this study we investigated whether extracts of A. afra are capable of controlling mycobacterial replication. For Mycobacterium aurum cultured in the presence of aqueous-, methanol- and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of A. afra we found that bacterial replication was inhibited by the dichloromethane extract only. Activity of the DCM extract was confirmed in dose-dependent studies against both M. aurum and M. tuberculosis with an IC50 =270 μg/ml and IC50 = 290μg/ml, respectively. Fractionation of the DCM extract and evaluation of its efficacy in vitro found that most of the antimycobacterial activity was associated with isolate fraction C8 that contained several sesquiterpene lactones, the most prominent of which are Artemin and Arsubin. Evaluation of the bactericidal efficacy in vitro showed that isolate fraction C8 reduced replication of M. aurum and M. tuberculosis in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 =1.9 μg/ml and IC50 = 2.0 μg/ml, respectively, and an MIC = 10 μg/ml. Further, isolate fraction C8 and the DCM extract was administered to M. tuberculosis-infected mice at a tolerated dose of 1000 μg/kg for up to 26 weeks and mycobacterial burdens compared to untreated-, INH/RIF treated- and aqueous-extract-treated animals to assess its bactericidal activity in vivo. Bacterial replication remained unaffected during treatment with either isolate fraction C8 or the DCM extract resulting in pulmonary and splenic bacilli burdens comparable to that of untreated mice. In contrast, INH/RIF treatment cleared M. tuberculosis infection after only 8 weeks to undetectable levels. Interestingly, treatment of M. tuberculosis-infected mice with aqueous extract of A. afra regulated pulmonary inflammation during early infection notwithstanding its inability to inhibit mycobacterial growth. This study clearly demonstrates that A. afra contains in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity, modulates pulmonary inflammation in early mycobacterial infection, and that the mouse experimental tuberculosis model may serve as a useful assay for evaluating the utility of phytotherapy. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Ntutela, Siyabulela
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Smith, Peter John
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Matika, Lungile
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Mukinda, James
South Africa, Bellville
University of the Western Cape
Arendse, Hiram
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Allie, Nasiema
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Estes, D. Mark
United States, Galveston
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Mabusela, Wilfred T.
South Africa, Bellville
University of the Western Cape
Folb, Peter I.
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Steyn, Lafras M.
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Johnson, Quinton
South Africa, Bellville
University of the Western Cape
Folk, William R.
United States, Columbia
University of Missouri
Syce, James A.
South Africa, Bellville
University of the Western Cape
Jacobs, Muazzam
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Statistics
Citations: 39
Authors: 14
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/S1472-9792(09)70009-5
ISSN:
14729792