Antituberculosis Activity and Iron Chelation Ability of Brazilin Isolated from Caesalpinia Sappan L.

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-tubercular activity of Brazilin and to know the role of iron chelation on the anti-tuberculosis activity of Brazilin. Anti-tuberculosis activity in vitro was tested through MIC values and a reduction in the number of Mtb bacterial cells. The MIC and MBC tests utilized extent technique comprising four treatment groups; the positive control (Lowenstein-Jensen medium inoculated with Mtb), the negative control (LJ medium), the anti-tuberculosis drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and streptomycin), and Brazilin at concentration 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, and 1024 ppm that were watched for about eight weeks. The iron chelation capability was assessed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicated that the MIC from Brazilin is 128 ppm and MBC of 256 ppm. Brazilin at 128 ppm showed iron chelation of 32.96% capacity and can reduce up to 72% Mtb cells in 10 -3 inoculum dilution. Iron levels at Brazilin 128 ppm (MIC) are higher than iron levels at concentrations of 256 ppm (MBC), indicating that Brazilin binds to iron. The binding of iron by Brazilin results in the unavailability of iron for Mtb, and causes suppression of Mtb growth, further resulting in Mtb cell death. These results exhibit that Brazilin can be used as an iron-chelating agent that might be advantageous in treating and controlling mycobacteria infection.

Article review: Brazilin as potential anticancer agent

“…The iron chelation mechanism in brazilin to treat cancer is not mentioned yet. Iron chelators were originally created to treat iron overload problems, however there has been rising interest in using them as adjuvant therapy for cancer ( Wang et al, 2019 ; Safitri et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Of all the findings about brazilin mechanisms towards cancer, the iron chelation mechanism has not been mentioned yet. In the meantime, using iron chelators as an adjuvant cancer treatment is becoming more popular, even though they have been developed initially to treat iron overload disorders ( Wang et al, 2019 ; Safitri et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Brazilin belongs to the class of flavonoids that are likely to interact with metals, mainly Fe ( Kejík et al, 2021 ). A study has found that brazilin could be used as an antituberculosis because of its mechanism of inhibiting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) extracellularly by iron chelation ( Safitri et al, 2022 ). Iron overload removal and prevention are the main goals of chelation therapy.…”

“…Iron chelators were initially developed to treat iron overload disorders like thalassemia, but there is increasing interest in their potential as adjunctive therapy for cancer. The combination of iron-chelating agents like DFO or DFX with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and carboplatin has been shown to increase the cytotoxic effects of these chemotherapeutics in some studies ( Wang et al, 2019 ; Safitri et al, 2022 ). Another natural compound that has iron chelator activity is curcumin.…”

“…A study stated that Brazilin substances can be used to chelate iron because of their structure, which reacts with metal ions such as iron (Fe) to form a stable complex ( Safitri et al, 2022 ). Iron chelators have long been considered potential anticancer agents ( Kulp et al, 1996 ; Kovář et al, 2001 ).…”