Structures of two new flavonoids and effects of licorice phenolics on vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species

Molecules. 2014 Mar 28;19(4):3883-97. doi: 10.3390/molecules19043883.

Abstract

Since our previous study revealed that several licorice phenolics have antibacterial effects on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and suppressive effects on the oxacillin resistance of MRSA, we further investigated effectiveness of licorice constituents on vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteria, and purified 32 phenolic compounds. Two flavonoids among them were characterized structurally, and identified their structures as demethylglycyrol (31) and 5,7-di-O-methylluteone (32), respectively. Examination of antibacterial effects of licorice phenolics showed that 3-arylcoumarins such as licoarylcoumarin (9) and glycycoumarin (26), and 2-arylcoumarones such as gancaonin I (17), have moderate to potent antibacterial effects on the VRE strains used in this study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Coumarins / chemistry*
  • Coumarins / isolation & purification
  • Coumarins / pharmacology
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / growth & development
  • Flavonoids / chemistry*
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Glycyrrhiza / chemistry*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phenols / chemistry*
  • Phenols / isolation & purification
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology
  • Vancomycin Resistance / physiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Coumarins
  • Flavonoids
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Vancomycin