ABSTRACT Spathulenol was isolated from an extract of Azorella compacta Phil., Apiaceae, by various chromatographic method; identification of the chemical structure was confirmed by comparing its spectroscopic data with those reported in the literature. The anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of spathulenol was evaluated on MDR, pre-XDR, and XDR clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis, as well as on the reference susceptible strain H37Rv and its cytotoxic activity was evaluated on the Vero Cell Line. The anti-M. tuberculosis activity of spathulenol was twice as potent against the MDR, pre-XDR, and XDR clinical isolates (6.25 µg/ml) than on the susceptible H37Rv strain (12.5 µg/ml). Additionally, the anti-M. tuberculosis activity shown by spathulenol was established as bactericidal on drug-resistant and susceptible strains of M. tuberculosis. Finally, cytotoxic activity on the Vero cell line (CC50 = 95.7 µg/ml) indicated that spathulenol is a selective anti-M. tuberculosis compound, with a selective index of 15.31 against drug-resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis.

In this work the in vitro antimycobacterial activity of the ethanolic extract obtained from the wood of Bulnesia sarmientoi Lorentz ex. Griseb and its chemical composition were studied. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of steroids and/or triterpenes and tannins, and a GC/MS fingerprint analysis identified guaiol and bulnesol as main volatile components of the extract, based on their retention index and the comparison of their mass spectra with those contained in NIST libraries. The extract showed activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 µg/mL, using the microplate Alamar Blue assay. These results suggest that the extract could be a source of antimicrobial substances against M. tuberculosis.

En el presente trabajo se evaluó la actividad antimicobacteriana in vitro y se estudió la composición química del extracto etanólico obtenido de la madera de Bulnesia sarmientoi Lorentz ex. Griseb. El estudio fitoquímico preliminar mostró la presencia de taninos y esteroides y/o triterpenos. Los componentes volátiles del extracto fueron además analizados por cromatografía gaseosa acoplada a espectrometría de masas (CG/EM) e identificados por comparación con las librerías NIST 21 y 107 del equipo y además con base en sus índices de retención. Este último análisis identificó a los sesquiterpenos guaiol y bulnesol como los principales componentes volátiles del extracto. La evaluación de la actividad antimicobacteriana usando el ensayo de microtitulación con Azul de Alamar mostró que el extracto es activo frente a la cepa H37Rv de Mycobacterium tuberculosis con una CMI de 50 µg/mL. Esto demuestra que el extracto puede ser fuente de sustancias con actividad frente a M. tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB - Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is an ancient infectious disease that has appeared once again as a serious worldwide health problem and now comprises the second leading cause of death resulting from a single infection. The prevalence of multidrug resistance (MDR) TB is increasing and therapeutic options for treatment are not always accessible; in fact, some patients do not respond to the available drugs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel anti-TB agents. The aim of the present study was to screen extracts of Aristolochia taliscana, a plant used in traditional Mexican medicine to treat cough and snake bites, for antimycobacterial activity. The hexanic extract of A. taliscana was tested by microdilution alamar blue assay against Mycobacterium strains and bioguided fractionation led to the isolation of the neolignans licarin A, licarin B and eupomatenoid-7, all of which had antimycobacterial activity. Licarin A was the most active compound, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 3.12-12.5 μg/mL against the following M. tuberculosis strains: H37Rv, four mono-resistant H37Rv variants and 12 clinical MDR isolates, as well as against five non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) strains. In conclusion, licarin A represents a potentially active anti-TB agent to treat MDR M. tuberculosis and NTM strains.

Objetivo Las enfermedades respiratorias agudas ocupan en el mundo los primeros 5 lugares en morbilidad y mortalidad infantil, anualmente mueren más de dos millones de niños por esa causa. El humo del tabaco ambiental (HTA) contiene compuestos irritantes y tóxicos nocivos para la salud, que incrementan el riesgo de morbilidad y mortalidad en lactantes, niños y adultos no fumadores. Nuestro principal objetivo fue determinar la asociación entre HTA y la presencia de neumonías en niños. Material y métodos Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles no pareados. Se calcularon las razones de momios (RM) e intervalo de confianza 95 % (IC) para cada variable. Resultados Se analizaron 285 pacientes, 142 casos y 143 controles, 47,4 % femeninos, la edad promedio fue 4,5+2,7 años. La RM para expuestos al HTA fue 3,44, IC 2,1- 5,6. Discusión La exposición a HTA incrementa más de tres veces el riesgo de padecer neumonías en niños.

Objective Acute respiratory diseases occupy the first 5 places in infantile morbidity and mortality around the world, two million children directly dying from such cause annually. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contains toxic and irritating compounds having an injurious effect on health, producing increased risk of morbidity and mortality in non-smoking adults and children. Our main objective was determining the association between ETS and pneumonia in children. Material and methods This was an unmatched case and controls hospital-based study. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results A total of 285 patients (142 cases and 143 controls) were studied; 47,4 % of the patients were female and average age was 4,5,+2,7. OR for patients being exposed to ETS developing pneumonia was 3,44 (CI: 2,11-5,6). Discussion Children being exposed to ETS increases the risk of developing pneumonia by more than threefold.

Objective Acute respiratory diseases occupy the first 5 places in infantile morbidity and mortality around the world, two million children directly dying from such cause annually. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) contains toxic and irritating compounds having an injurious effect on health, producing increased risk of morbidity and mortality in non-smoking adults and children. Our main objective was determining the association between ETS and pneumonia in children. Material and methods This was an unmatched case and controls hospital-based study. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results A total of 285 patients (142 cases and 143 controls) were studied; 47,4 % of the patients were female and average age was 4,5,+2,7. OR for patients being exposed to ETS developing pneumonia was 3,44 (CI: 2,11-5,6). Discussion Children being exposed to ETS increases the risk of developing pneumonia by more than threefold.

Objetivo Las enfermedades respiratorias agudas ocupan en el mundo los primeros 5 lugares en morbilidad y mortalidad infantil, anualmente mueren más de dos millones de niños por esa causa. El humo del tabaco ambiental (HTA) contiene compuestos irritantes y tóxicos nocivos para la salud, que incrementan el riesgo de morbilidad y mortalidad en lactantes, niños y adultos no fumadores. Nuestro principal objetivo fue determinar la asociación entre HTA y la presencia de neumonías en niños. Material y métodos Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles no pareados. Se calcularon las razones de momios (RM) e intervalo de confianza 95 % (IC) para cada variable. Resultados Se analizaron 285 pacientes, 142 casos y 143 controles, 47,4 % femeninos, la edad promedio fue 4,5+2,7 años. La RM para expuestos al HTA fue 3,44, IC 2,1- 5,6. Discusión La exposición a HTA incrementa más de tres veces el riesgo de padecer neumonías en niños.