Sophoraflavanone G from Sophora pachycarpa Enhanced the Antibacterial Activity of Gentamycin against Staphylococcus aureus

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. A journal of biosciences Vol. 61; no. 11; pp. 769 - 772
• Main Authors: Fakhimi, Ali, Iranshahi, Mehrdad, Emami, Seyed Ahmad, Amin-Ar-Ramimeh, Esam, Zarrini, Gholamreza, Shahverdi, Ahmad Reza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 01.12.2006
• Subjects: Antibacterial Activity; Sophoraflavanone G; Synergism
• ISSN: 0939-5075; 1865-7125
• DOI: 10.1515/znc-2006-11-1201

In this study the enhancement effect of Sophora pachy- carpa roots’ acetone extract on the antibacterial activity of gentamycin was evaluated against Staphylococcus au­reus. Disc diffusion and broth dilution methods were used to determine the antibacterial activity of gentamy­cin in the absence and presence of plant extract and its various fractions separated by TLC. A clinical isolate of S. aureus was used as test strain. The active component of the plant extract involved in enhancement of genta- mycin’s activity had R = 0.72 on a TLC plate. The spec­tral data ( H NMR. CNMR) of this compound re­vealed that this compound was 5,7,2′,4′-tetrahydroxy-8- lavandulylflavanone (sophoraflavanone G), previously isolated from Sophora exigua. In the presence of 0.03 μg/ mL of sophoraflavanone G the MIC value of gentamy­cin for S. aureus decreased from 32 to 8 μg/mL (a four­fold decrease). These results signify that the ultra-low concentration of sophoraflavanone G potentiates the an­timicrobial action of gentamycin suggesting a possible utilization of this compound in combination therapy against Staphylococcus aureus.