Antiprotozoal and Antimycobacterial Activities of Pure Compounds fromAristolochia elegansRhizomes

Abstract

We analyzed the antimycobacterial activity of the hexane extract of rhizomes fromAristolochia elegans. Some compounds of this extract were purified and tested against a group of drug-resistantMycobacterium tuberculosisstrains. We also evaluated their antiprotozoal activities. The hexane extract was active againstM. tuberculosisH37Rv at aMIC=100 μg mL−1; the pure compounds eupomatenoid-1, fargesin, and (8R,8′R,9R)-cubebin were active againstM. tuberculosisH37Rv (MIC = 50 μg mL−1), while fargesin presented activity against three monoresistant strains ofM. tuberculosisH37Rv and a MDR clinical isolate ofM. tuberculosis(MIC<50 μg mL-1). Both the extract and eupomatenoid-1 were very active againstE. histolyticaandG. lamblia(IC50<0.624 μg mL-1); in contrast, fargesin and (8R,8′R,9R)-cubebin were moderately active (IC50<275 μg mL-1). In this context, two compounds responsible for the antimycobacterial presented byA. elegansare fargesin and cubebin, although others may exert this activity also. In addition to the antimycobacterial activity, the hexane extract has important activity againstE. histolyticaandG. lamblia, and eupomatenoid-1 is one of the compounds responsible for the antiparasite activity.