5^th Global Nephrologists Annual Meeting

Biography

Biography: Maria Eugenia Martinez

Abstract

Currently, the most effective treatment for recurrent urinary tract infections in women is the use of antibiotics. However, limitation for this treatment is the duration and dosage of antibiotics and the resistance that bacteria develop after a long period of administration. Therefore, alternatives approaches need to be consider. The most common is the use traditional botanical remedies or preparations, in which the use of dandelion (Taraxacum sp.) has several references in treating bacterial infections. These properties have been attributed to the large number of bioactive compounds in their tissues, particularly triterpenes such as amyrin and lupeol, antioxidants and phenolics compounds. Antibacterial activity was evaluated in vitro by serial microdilution using a hexane extract from T. officinale leaves against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis as uropathogens, showing 100% inhibition at 400 mg/L for E. coli and 1600 mg/L for the other tested strains. Phytochemical analysis of plant tissue grown in vitro revealed the presence α-amyrin and lupeol both in leaves and in callus cultures, which extract would be further tested in rats. These results corroborate the folkloric use is given to the use of dandelion against bacterial infections and suggest the potential of these compounds for its potential use in the pharmaceutical industry, related to the formulation of natural products associated with improving urinary tract diseases. On the other hand, it can set the groundwork for a potential production system of these compounds for medicinal purposes, using biotechnology techniques that stimulate the synthesis and accumulation of these triterpenes into the plant cell.