Potent Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis of α-Mangostin Analogs

A new series of mangostin analogs of natural α-mangostin from mangosteen was prepared and their antimycobacterial activity was evaluated in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Ra. The results showed that the monoalkyl tetrahydro α-mangostin analogs displayed increased antimycobacterial activity as compared with the lead natural xanthone, α-mangostin. Among the tested compounds, 6-methoxytetrahydro α-mangostin (16) exhibited the most potent antimycobacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.78 µg/mL. The activity of the monoalkylated and monoacylated tetrahydro α-mangostins decreases as the length of carbon chain increases. The methyl ether analog was also active against the multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains with pronounced MICs of 0.78-1.56 µg/mL.