Update on Medicinal Plants with Potency on Mycobacterium ulcerans

Biomed Res Int. 2015:2015:917086. doi: 10.1155/2015/917086. Epub 2015 Dec 8.

Abstract

Mycobacterium ulcerans disease has been a serious threat for people living in rural remote areas. Due to poverty or availability of traditional medicine these populations rely on herbal remedies. Currently, data on the anti-Mycobacterium ulcerans activity of plants, so far considered community-based knowledge, have been scientifically confirmed, concomitantly with some medicinal plants used to treat infectious diseases in general. Products derived from plants usually responsible for the biological properties may potentially control Mycobacterium ulcerans disease; numerous studies have aimed to describe the chemical composition of these plant antimicrobials. Thus, the present work provides the first compilation of medicinal plants that demonstrated inhibitory potential on Mycobacterium ulcerans. This work shows that the natural products represent potential alternatives to standard therapies for use as curative medicine for Mycobacterium ulcerans disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / drug therapy*
  • Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology
  • Mycobacterium ulcerans / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium ulcerans / pathogenicity
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry

Substances

  • Plant Extracts