synergy

Anethole, a potential antimicrobial synergist, converts a fungistatic dodecanol to a fungicidal agent.: Phytother Res. 2007 Jan;21(1):47-51 Authors: Fujita K, Fujita T, Kubo I

Anethole shows synergistic effects on the antifungal activities of phytochemicals including polygodial and (2E)-undecenal against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. It was found that a fungistatic dodecanol combined with a sublethal amount of anethole showed a fungicidal activity against S. cerevisiae. The MIC of dodecanol quickly reduced cell viability, but the cell viability recovered shortly after and then finally became no longer different from the control, indicating that the effect of dodecanol on this yeast was classified as sublethal damage. On the other hand, anethole completely restricted the recovery of cell viability. Therefore the expression of the synergistic effect was probably due to a blockade of the recovery process from dodecanol-induced stress.

Multitarget therapy - The future of treatment for more than just functional dyspepsia.: Phytomedicine. 2006 Jun 10; Wagner H

Since many years the concept of classical phytotherapy using herbal drug combinations with superior efficacy and lesser side effects in comparison with single isolated constituents of plant extracts has been repeatedly assessed clinically as well as pharmacologically. For this as multitarget therapy defined treatment lot of examples are presented. The exact mechanisms of action underlying these synergy effects is unknown. It could be explained by a multitarget action of compounds on a molecular level or partly by an improved resorption rate and a change of pharmacokinetic. Progress in the field of drug synergy research may lend with standardized plant extracts a new legitimacy and may open the chance to use extract combinations for the treatment of diseases which previously have been reserved for chemotherapeutics only.

Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori and associated urease by oregano and cranberry phytochemical synergies.: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Dec;71(12):8558-64

Authors: Lin YT, Kwon YI, Labbe RG, Shetty K

Ulcer-associated dyspepsia is caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori is linked to a majority of peptic ulcers. Antibiotic treatment does not always inhibit or kill H. pylori with potential for antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to determine the potential for using phenolic phytochemical extracts to inhibit H. pylori in a laboratory medium. Our approach involved the development of a specific phenolic profile with optimization of different ratios of extract mixtures from oregano and cranberry. Subsequently, antimicrobial activity and antimicrobial-linked urease inhibition ability were evaluated. The results indicated that the antimicrobial activity was greater in extract mixtures than in individual extracts of each species. The results also indicate that the synergistic contribution of oregano and cranberry phenolics may be more important for inhibition than any species-specific phenolic concentration. Further, based on plate assay, the likely mode of action may be through urease inhibition and disruption of energy production by inhibition of proline dehydrogenase at the plasma membrane.