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1-methyl malate from Berberis integerrima fruits enhances the antibacterial activity of ampicillin against

P Alimirzaee1, A R Gohari, R Hajiaghaee

  • 1Pharmaceutical Research Unit, Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Phytotherapy Research : PTR
|January 28, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Berberis integerrima fruit extracts and 1-methyl malate significantly boost ampicillin's antibacterial power against Staphylococcus aureus. This natural compound enhances ampicillin's effectiveness, reducing the minimum inhibitory concentration.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Microbiology
  • Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is a growing global health concern.
  • Exploring natural compounds to enhance existing antibiotic efficacy is crucial for combating resistant bacteria.
  • Berberis integerrima is a plant with traditional medicinal uses, suggesting potential bioactive compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the potential of Berberis integerrima fruit extracts to enhance the antibacterial activity of ampicillin against Staphylococcus aureus.
  • To identify and characterize the active component responsible for the observed enhancement.
  • To determine the extent of ampicillin activity enhancement by the purified compound.

Main Methods:

  • Antibacterial activity was assessed using disk diffusion and agar dilution methods.
  • Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates were used as the test strain.
  • Column chromatography and spectroscopic methods were employed for compound purification and identification.

Main Results:

  • The ethanol extract of Berberis integerrima fruits significantly enhanced ampicillin's antibacterial activity.
  • The active component responsible for enhancement was identified as 1-methyl malate.
  • 1-methyl malate increased ampicillin's potency 128-fold, reducing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 128 to 1 microg/mL.

Conclusions:

  • Berberis integerrima fruits contain compounds, notably 1-methyl malate, that can potentiate the activity of ampicillin.
  • 1-methyl malate demonstrates significant bactericidal activity enhancement, offering a potential strategy to overcome ampicillin resistance.
  • Further research into 1-methyl malate could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for Staphylococcus aureus infections.

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