Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L.: Perspective of phytochemical-based inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. contains various phytochemicals with tremendous potential to fight against different infections. However, the effect of these phytochemicals on Mycobacterium tuberculosis is yet unknown. Treatment of multi-drug resistance (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of the tuberculosis bacterium are still challenging. Therefore, there is an urgent need to overcome this problem. The present review focuses on the potential action of the hypolipidemic phytochemicals obtained from N. arbor-tristis on the growth and survival of M. tuberculosis in the human host. The extracts from different parts of this plant are hypolipidemic by various established mechanisms. Phytochemicals like iridoids and flavonoids from plant origin exhibit a high capacity to regulate cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis in vivo. The hypolipidemic properties of N. arbor-tristis-derived extracts are probably due to the presence of phytochemicals such as iridoids, flavonoids, etc. It may regulate fatty acid biosynthesis in M. tuberculosis by targeting bacterial fatty acid synthase enzyme. Additionally, these phytochemicals also inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis in the host by interrupting the function of HMG-CoA reductase. M. tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen. It is also established fact as on date that entry of tuberculosis bacterium in the macrophage is macrophage membrane cholesterol-dependent. Host cholesterol is also otherwise necessary by multiple mechanisms for the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Based on the above facts, we believe that N. arbor-tristis derived phytochemicals can act both on the tuberculosis bacterium and on the host for prevention and cure of tuberculosis.