In vitro anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of some Brazilian "Cerrado" plants

The aim of this work was to carry out a screening of some plants of this Brazilian region with activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Chloroform and methanol extracts of 37 plant species distributed among 17 families from Brazilian "Cerrado" which were tested against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined by the use of Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Crude extracts from sixteen plants showed MIC value of < 125 µg/mL and three 31.2 µg/mL. These results suggest that the Brazilian "Cerrado" may be a source of plants that have activity anti-M. tuberculosis constituents that can be extracted by polars and apolars solvents.