Search for Antimicrobial Activity Among Fifty-Two Natural and Synthetic Compounds Identifies Anthraquinone and Polyacetylene Classes That Inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Drug-resistant tuberculosis threatens to undermine global control programs by limiting treatment options. New antimicrobial drugs are required, derived from new chemical classes. Natural products offer extensive diversity and inspiration for synthetic chemistry. Here, we isolate, synthesize test a library of 52 natural compounds activity against Mycobacterium . We identify seven as antimycobacterial, including the isobavachalcone isoneorautenol, chromene. The plant-derived secondary metabolite damnacanthal was most active compound with lowest minimum inhibitory concentration 13.07 μg/mL favorable selectivity index value. Three polyacetylene demonstrated antimycobacterial activity, MIC 17.88 μg/mL. These results suggest avenues drug discovery, expanding chemistries novel anthraquinone scaffolds in search treat drug-resistant bacterial diseases.