Efflux pumps are considered a major potential contributor to the development of various forms of resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis leading to the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Verapamil (VER) and tricyclic chemosensitizers such as the phenothiazines are known to possess efflux pump inhibition properties and have demonstrated significant efficacy in various TB disease models. Novel hybrid molecules based on fusion of the VER substructure with various tricyclic, as well as nontricyclic, chemosensitizer cores or their structural motifs are described. These hybrid compounds were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo individually for their intrinsic activity and in combination for their potentiating potential with the frontline anti-TB drugs, rifampin and isoniazid. In addition, efflux pump inhibition was assessed in an ethidium bromide assay. This study led to the identification of novel compounds, termed hybrid efflux pump inhibitors, with intrinsic antimycobacterial activities (MIC90 ≤ 3.17 μg/mL) and intracellular activity in macrophages at a low concentration (≤6.25 μg/mL).
Keywords: adjunctive agents; chemosensitizers; ethidium bromide; macrophages; thioridazine; verapamil.