Antimycobacterial activity of luteolin in resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates and cytotoxicity on L929 cells.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) bacteria can cause oxidative stress and the production of inflammatory cytokines, creating an environment that enhances tumour formation, progression and metastasis. Epidemiological studies have found a link between lung cancer and tuberculosis (TB), but the cellular mechanism is still unclear. Current treatment involves multiple drugs and a long treatment regimen. The fact that there is a very limited number of anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs against TB, that no antimicrobial has been developed that can treat TB alone, and therefore, if a pathogen with such limited treatment options develops resistance to existing drugs, treatment success is significantly reduced. As a result, it is very important to develop new and alternative drugs against this important pathogen that can shorten the duration of treatment and increase anti-TB immunity during the treatment phase. In this study, we show that Luteolin (LUT), a plant-based flavonoid, exhibits anti-TB activity with a MIC value of 100 μg/mL when applied alone to control strain and resistant clinical isolates. In addition, a suppressive effect of 6.11 μg/mL LUT on lung cancer cells, as well as a protective and regulatory effect on the function of the antioxidant system, the activity of oxidative metabolism enzymes and inflammation were shown. Therefore, the use of LUT in conventional antibiotic therapy may provide a means to prevent the development of drug resistance and improve disease outcomes.