Curcuma longa L. constituents inhibit sortase A and Staphylococcus aureus cell adhesion to fibronectin

J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Nov 16;53(23):9005-9. doi: 10.1021/jf051765z.

Abstract

The inhibitory activity of Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) rhizome constituents against sortase A, a bacterial surface protein anchoring transpeptidase, from Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538p was evaluated. The activity of the isolated compounds (1-4) was compared to that of the positive control,p-hydroxymecuribenzoic acid (pHMB). The biologically active components of C. longa rhizome were characterized by spectroscopic analysis as the curcuminoids curcumin (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (3). Curcumin was a potent inhibitor of sortase A, with an IC50 value of 13.8 +/- 0.7 microg/mL. Bisdemethoxycurcumin (IC50 = 31.9 +/- 1.2 microg/mL) and demethoxycurcumin (IC50 = 23.8 +/- 0.6 microg/mL) were more effective than pHMB (IC50 = 40.6 +/- 1.2 microg/mL). The three isolated compounds (1-3) showed no growth inhibitory activity against S. aureus strain Newman, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) greater than 200 microg/mL. Curcumin also exhibited potent inhibitory activity against S. aureus cell adhesion to fibronectin. The suppression of fibronectin-binding activity by curcumin highlights its potential for the treatment of S. aureus infections via inhibition of sortase activity. These results indicate that curcumin is a possible candidate in the development of a bacterial sortase A inhibitor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminoacyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Bacterial Adhesion / drug effects*
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Curcuma / chemistry*
  • Curcumin / isolation & purification
  • Curcumin / pharmacology
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / isolation & purification
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Fibronectins / metabolism*
  • Rhizome / chemistry
  • Staphylococcus aureus / enzymology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Fibronectins
  • Aminoacyltransferases
  • sortase A
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • Curcumin