Letter	Planta Med 2004; 70: 685-687 DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-827196
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Antimicrobial Activities of Hydrophobic 2-Arylbenzofurans and an Isoflavone against Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Toshio Fukai1, Yukio Oku2, Yoshio Hano1, Sumio Terada2
1 Department of Biophysical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, Chiba, Japan 2 Department of Natural Products, Research Laboratory, Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

Eight 2-arylbenzofurans and an isoflavone isolated from medicinal plants were tested for their antimicrobial activities against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Among these compounds, six hydrophobic 2-arylbenzofurans (log P = 4.4 - 8.7) exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against five VRE strains (VanA-, VanB-, and VanC-phenotypes) (MICs = 3.13 - 6.25 μg/mL). Five compounds also showed antibacterial activity against ten MRSA strains (MIC₈₀ = 3.13 μg/mL).