Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (한국미생물·생명공학회)
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4-Chloro-2-Isopropyl-5-Methylphenol Exhibits Antimicrobial and Adjuvant Activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

  • Kim, Byung Chan (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Kim, Hyerim (College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University) ;
  • Lee, Hye Soo (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Kim, Su Hyun (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Cho, Do-Hyun (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Jung, Hee Ju (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Bhatia, Shashi Kant (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University) ;
  • Yune, Philip S. (Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine) ;
  • Joo, Hwang-Soo (Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Duksung Women's University) ;
  • Kim, Jae-Seok (Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Wooseong (College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University) ;
  • Yang, Yung-Hun (Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University)
  • Received : 2022.03.28
  • Accepted : 2022.05.02
  • Published : 2022.06.28
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Abstract

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes severe infections and poses a global healthcare challenge. The utilization of novel molecules which confer synergistical effects to existing MRSA-directed antibiotics is one of the well-accepted strategies in lieu of de novo development of new antibiotics. Thymol is a key component of the essential oil of plants in the Thymus and Origanum genera. Despite the absence of antimicrobial potency, thymol is known to inhibit MRSA biofilm formation. However, the anti-MRSA activity of thymol analogs is not well characterized. Here, we assessed the antimicrobial activity of several thymol derivatives and found that 4-chloro-2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol (chlorothymol) has antimicrobial activity against MRSA and in addition it also prevents biofilm formation. Chlorothymol inhibited staphyloxanthin production, slowed MRSA motility, and altered bacterial cell density and size. This compound also showed a synergistic antimicrobial activity with oxacillin against highly resistant S. aureus clinical isolates and biofilms associated with these isolates. Our results demonstrate that chlorinated thymol derivatives should be considered as a new lead compound in anti-MRSA therapeutics.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Research Program to solve social issues of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)s funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea [grant number 2017M3A9E4077234] and [NRF- 2022R1A2C2003138, NRF-2019M3E6A1103979]. W.K. was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant (2020R1C1C1008842, 2018R1A5A2025286).

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