Three novel ent-kaurane diterpenes, namely sigesbeckin A-C (1-3), in conjunction with eight previously identified analogues (4-11), were isolated from Sigesbeckia orientalis. Their chemical structures were resolved through multiple spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were assessed for antimicrobial bioactivity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) strains. In particular, compounds 1 and 5 demonstrated moderate efficacy, with MIC values of 64 μg/mL. Moreover, compounds 3, 5, and 11 were found to synergize with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and vancomycin (VAN) against MRSA and VRE. The aforementioned findings offer valuable insights for the development of novel alternatives to antibiotics, which can effectively tackle the escalating issue of antibiotic resistance.
Keywords: Sigesbeckia orientalis; anti-MRSA; anti-VRE; ent-kaurane diterpenes; synergic bioactivity.