Antimycobacterial compounds from Piper sanctum

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the discovery of novel therapeutic agents.
• Plant-derived compounds have historically contributed to the development of anti-TB drugs.
• Piper species are known for their diverse chemical constituents and biological activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize new chemical entities from Piper sanctum with antimycobacterial properties.
• To evaluate the inhibitory effects of these compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• To identify potential lead compounds for future anti-TB drug development.

Main Methods:

• Bioassay-guided fractionation of Piper sanctum leaf and stem extracts.
• Structure elucidation of isolated compounds using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques (GC-MS, HPLC).
• Antimycobacterial activity testing using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA).

Main Results:

• Fourteen new compounds were isolated from the leaf extract and twenty known compounds from the stem extract.
• Compounds 2, 3, 6, 18-21, and 24 demonstrated significant inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth.
• Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 4 to 64 µg/mL for the active compounds.

Conclusions:

• Piper sanctum is a rich source of structurally diverse compounds with potent antimycobacterial activity.
• Several isolated compounds, including new chemical entities, show promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• These findings support the traditional use of Piper sanctum and highlight its potential for novel anti-TB drug discovery.