More on the discovery on an old antibiotic
Thanks to a reader, I've gotten my hands on the actual study of the old antibiotic that I mentioned last week. If you recall, I expressed some doubts about the "newness" of the atun-based compound, wondering if it could be a product of mold growing in the seeds or on the leaves. My doubts have been laid to rest:
We preserved the leaves and kernels of A racemosa collected in the Independent State of Samoa in 70% ethanol and prepared alcohol extracts according to standard protocol. Various concentrations of kernel extract and leaf extract were added to samples of two Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and two Gram negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) in a minimal inhibitory concentration assay. This assay was performed in cation adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth according to the standard protocol.
The assay showed that the extracts from A racemosa (the atun tree described by Rumphius) had antibacterial activity that was specific for the Gram positive bacteria tested (table). The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the leaf extract were significantly different from those of the kernel extract in both of the Gram positive bacteria…
Etc. etc. I might've guessed that they controlled for this sort of think. I guess I just got carried away with my own cleverness… 
[tags]Medicine, pharmacy, antibiotics, drug discovery, MRSA[/tags]
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