A new study suggests that a compound found in African wormwood, a plant known for its medicinal properties for thousands of years, might be effective in treating tuberculosis.
According to a recent study, a compound present in African wormwood—a plant that has been used for thousands of years in medicine—could potentially be beneficial in combating tuberculosis. This research is available online and will be featured in the October issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
The research team, co-directed by scientists from Penn State, discovered that an O-methylflavone compound can eliminate the mycobacteria responsible for tuberculosis, effective in both its active form and its dormant hypoxic state, which the bacteria enter during stress.
These dormant bacteria are particularly challenging to eradicate and complicate infection treatment, as explained by co-corresponding author Joshua Kellogg, an assistant professor at the College of Agricultural Sciences in veterinary and biomedical sciences.
Although these findings are preliminary, Kellogg believes this research marks a promising initial step toward discovering new treatments for tuberculosis.
“Having isolated this compound enables us to further investigate and experiment with its structure, potentially enhancing its effectiveness against tuberculosis,” he stated. “We’re also examining the plant itself to identify other molecules that might also possess the ability to kill this mycobacterium.”
Tuberculosis, caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria (Mtb), remains one of the world’s leading causes of death from infectious diseases, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are around 10 million cases of TB yearly, with roughly 1.5 million fatalities.
Despite the existence of treatment options, the researchers noted several challenges associated with managing the disease. A typical antibiotic regimen lasts for six months, and if a patient acquires a drug-resistant strain, treatment can extend to two years, making it both time-consuming and expensive.
Moreover, the bacteria can exist in two forms within the body, one of which is significantly tougher to eliminate.
“In one form, the bacteria multiply and grow normally, but when under stress—whether from medication or immune responses—it enters a pseudo-hibernation state, halting many cellular processes until it senses the threat has diminished,” Kellogg explained. “This dormant state makes it exceedingly difficult to eliminate those hibernating cells, which is why we were eager to investigate new chemicals or compounds capable of targeting this state.”
Various Artemisia species have been utilized in traditional medicine for centuries, including African wormwood, known for treating cough and fever. Recent investigations in Africa have indicated potential clinical applications for the plant in treating tuberculosis.
“When we analyze the unprocessed plant extract containing hundreds of compounds, it shows considerable effectiveness against TB,” Kellogg noted. “Our inquiry was: what specific component in the plant is responsible for this efficacy?”
The researchers examined the raw extract from the African wormwood plant and separated it into different fractions, each representing a simpler chemical profile. They tested each fraction against Mtb to assess their effectiveness and documented their findings. At the same time, they developed a chemical profile for all tested fractions.
“Employing machine learning, we analyzed how changes in chemical composition correlated with changes in bacterial activity,” Kellogg added. “This approach allowed us to focus on two particularly active fractions.”
From these fractions, the team identified and tested a compound that effectively destroyed the bacteria in both its active and dormant forms—a notable occurrence in tuberculosis treatments. Further testing on human cells indicated that it had low toxicity.
Kellogg mentioned that these discoveries could pave the way for the development of new and improved therapeutic options.
“Although the potency of this compound currently isn’t sufficient for direct use as an anti-Mtb treatment, it might provide a foundational basis for creating more potent drugs,” he explained. “Additionally, it’s likely that there are other similar compounds in African wormwood with comparable properties.”
The researchers indicated that more comprehensive studies are needed in the future to explore the potential of African wormwood in tuberculosis treatment.
Co-authors from Penn State include R. Teal Jordan, a research technologist and lab manager in veterinary and biomedical sciences, and Xiaoling Chen, a graduate student in pathobiology. Additional co-authors from Worcester Polytechnic Institute include Scarlet Shell, Maria Natalia Alonso, Junpei Xiao, Juan Hilario Cafiero, Trevor Bush, Melissa Towler, and Pamela Weathers.
This research received support from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Disease, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
