Abstract
The inhibitory effects of selected phenolic lichen substances were tested against
a panel of methicillin- and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Depsidones with long alkyl chains on both of the aromatic rings were consistently
active against the strains tested, comparable to or better than the level of clinically
used antibacterial drugs. A similar level of activity was also observed for rhizocarpic
acid. The previously described cytotoxic pentacyclic compound hybocarpone was by far
the most active, exhibiting minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4 - 8 μg/mL
(8.13 - 16.3 μM) against a range of multidrug efflux pump expressing strains of S. aureus.
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Dr. Tetsuo Kokubun
Sustainable Uses Group
Jodrell Laboratory
Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew
Richmond
Surrey TW9 3DS
UK
Telefon: +44-208-332-5318
Fax: +44-208-332-5310
eMail: t.kokubun@kew.org
