Evaluation of the Antimycobacterial Activity of Extracts from Plants Used as Self-Medication by AIDS Patients in Thailand

ABSTRACT

Chloroform, methanol, and water extracts from medicinal plants used as self-medication by AIDS patients in Thailand were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity using the microplate Alamar blue assay. The crude extracts exhibited antimycobacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.12–1000 µg/ml. The chloroform extract of Alpinia galanga. rhizomes and Piper chaba. fruits had strong inhibitory effects with MIC values of 0.12 and 16 µg/ml, respectively. The active compounds, 1′-acetoxychavicol acetate from Alpinia galanga. and piperine from Piper chaba. had MIC values of 0.024 and 50 µg/ml, respectively.

Keywords:

• 1′-Acetoxychavicol acetate
• AIDS patients
• Alamar blue assay
• antimycobacterial
• piperine
• Thai medicinal plants