Prospects for flavonoid and related phytochemicals as nature-inspired treatments for Clostridium difficile infection
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: AIMS: There is a need for novel treatments for Clostridium difficile infection(CDI). Antibacterial flavonoids are part of a large family of polyphenol phytochemicals with a long history of use in ethnomedicine, but are unexamined against Cl. difficile. We explored their anti-difficile properties. METHODS AND RESULTS: Anti-difficile activities were determined for several naturally occurring flavonoids, olympicin A and synthetic 4-chromanone and chalcone analogues. With the exception of olympicin A, most naturally occurring phytochemicals tested were poorly active. Diversified synthetic flavonoids resembling olympicin A retained anti-difficile activity, suggesting olympicin A could act as a pharmacophore to obtain novel agents. They also demonstrated concentration-dependent killing of logarithmic and stationary phase cultures and reduced sporulation and toxin production. Olympicin A and some synthetic flavonoids dissipated the bacterial transmembrane potential. Interestingly, mutants could only be selected with the analogue 207 at a frequency of 10(-9). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the potent anti-difficile properties of olympicin A and modified flavonoids, further exploration of this class of phytochemicals is warranted. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Clostridium difficile infection is a major problem in developed countries. These studies point to there being an avenue for optimizing plant-derived flavonoids, and related antibacterial phytochemicals, as nature-inspired approaches to treat CDI.
Source: Journal of Applied Microbiology
DOI: 10.1111/jam.12344
Authors: X. Wu, M.Z. Alam, L. Feng, L.S. Tsutsumi, D. Sun, J.G. Hurdle
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Hawaii Community Foundation, University of Texas at Arlington, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
OpenAlex ID: W2152319580