Planta Med 2016; 82 - PB30
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1578678

In Vitro Susceptibility Of Chlamydia Pneumonia To Extracts Of Curcurma Longa L. And Zingiber Officinalis L. (Zingiberaceae)

TO Lawal 1, C Schriever 2, SL Pendland 2, GB Mahady 2
  • 1Schlumberger Fellow, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
  • 2Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA

Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) is an intracellular gram-negative pathogen, responsible for 5 – 30% of acute respiratory tract infections worldwide [1, 2]. In this investigation the activity of Curcuma longa L. and Zingiber officinalis L. (Zingiberaceae) methanol extracts were assessed on the proliferation of CP in HEp-2 cells. CP isolates, TW 183 (ATCC VR-2822) and AR 39 (ATCC 53592) were used, and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal chlamydicidal concentrations (MCCs) were obtained. Briefly, HEp-2 cells (ATCC) were grown to near confluence, harvested, and plated in 96-well microtiter plates and incubated for 24 hr. Then, each well was inoculated with 0.1 ml of each chlamydial test strain at a concentration of 103-104 inclusion-forming units (IFUs)/ml. Following incubation, the medium was carefully aspirated from each well and overlaid with 100 µl of the extracts, or azithromycin, and incubated for 72 hr. Concentrations tested ranged from 100 to 3.6 µg/ml for the extracts, and 1.0 to 0.0078 µg/ml for azithromycin. Chlamydia were fixed with methanol and stained with a genus-specific monoclonal antibody (Pathfinder® Chlamydia Culture Confirmation System). An MTT cytotoxicity assay was performed determine the effect of the extracts on HEp-2 cell viability. Turmeric extracts inhibited the growth of both CP strains with an MIC/MCC of 25 – 50 µg/ml, a semi-purified fraction had MIC/MCC of 12.5 – 25 µg/ml. Ginger extracts had an MIC/MCC of 50 – 100 µg/ml, with a semi-purified fraction being more active with an MIC/MCC of 25 – 50 µg/ml. These results suggest that both plants may be useful for the treat of CP infections.

Acknowledgements: Partial support for this work was made possible by Grant Number AT001317-02 from the NCCIH of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NCCAM or NIH.

References: [1] Halm EA, et al. (2002) N. Eng. J. Med., 347: 2039 – 2045. [2] Grayston JT. (2000)J Infect. Dis., 181:S402-S410.