PLANT-DERIVED GLYCOALKALOIDS PROTECT MICE AGAINST LETHAL INFECTION WITH SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM

The reduced efficiency of antibiotics, caused as a consequence of acqu ired drug resistance, necessitates the development of new approaches t o deal effectively with infectious diseases. Intervention strategies w hich enhance innate defence mechanisms offer one such possibility. Thi s report demonstrates that mice prophylactically treated with low dose s of an extract derived from Solanum species containing both solanine and chaconine were rendered resistant to challenge with lethal doses o f Salmonella typhimurium. Single or multiple treatment(s) with low dos es of purified glycoalkaloids also provided mice with significant prot ection against infection. Treated animals were found to rapidly clear bacteria from various target organs. An enhancement of innate defences by glycoalkaloid administration offers an alternative to antigen-spec ific vaccines and prophylactic antibiotic treatment. (C) 1998 John Wil ey & Sons, Ltd.