Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) often acquires multi-drug resistance and is involved in many cases of disease in hospitals. We investigated natural substances directly effective against MRSA or that influence antibiotic resistance. Aloe-emodin, an anthraquinone, and several licorice flavonoids showed potent antibacterial effects against MRSA. Like some hydrolysable tannins (corilagin and tellimagrandin I) and a tea polyphenol [(-)-epicatechin gallate], the licorice flavonoid licoricidin also restored the effects of oxacillin, a β-lactam antibiotic against MRSA. Further study revealed that theasinensin A, a polyphenol formed from (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, proanthocyanidins obtained from fruits of Zizyphus jujuba var. inermis, and polymeric proanthocyanidins from fruit peels of Zanthoxylum piperitum also suppressed the antibiotic resistance of MRSA.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2047-2055 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Phytochemistry |
Volume | 66 |
Issue number | 17 SPEC. ISS. |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 2005 |
Keywords
- Antibacterial
- Antibiotic resistance
- Camellia sinensis (Theaceae)
- MRSA
- Polyphenol
- Proanthocyanidin
- Tannin
- Tea
- Zanthoxylum piperitum (Rutaceae)
- Zizyphus jujuba var. inermis (Rhamnaceae)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Plant Science
- Horticulture