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Registration Number

0225U004305, (0124U003831) , R & D reports

Title

Development of a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent based on the extract of the leguminous plant Indigofera spicata

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Розробка прототипу лікеарського засобу на основі екстракту I. spicata та перевірка його безпеки та ефективності

Head

Stasyk Oleh V., Доктор біологічних наук

Registration Date

28-11-2025

Organization

Institute of Cell Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

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The goal is to create a prototype of a new broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent for local disinfection of wounds or other skin damage based on the extract of the leguminous plant Indigofera spicata, which contains unique amino acid analogs that are cytotoxic for microorganisms, as well as to test its effectiveness on cell models in vitro and in laboratory animals vivo.

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During the implementation of the Project, the Australian endemic plant Indigofera spicata was introduced for the first time in Ukrainian climatic conditions, preserving the content of key compounds (canavanine, indospicine) in green biomass. The procedures for obtaining and characterizing I. spicata extracts were described. The plant and its green biomass can be used as an accessible source of toxic arginine analogues - canavanine and indospicine - in future studies aimed at searching for new approaches to antimicrobial and/or antitumor therapy. We demonstrated the potential to increase the antimicrobial activity of I. spicata extracts against various microorganisms by enzymatically removing arginine via pretreatment with recombinant human arginase I (based on these data, a Ukrainian Patent for a utility model was obtained). For the first time, we determined the safe dose ranges for the aqueous extract of I. spicata and canavanine using a model of pseudonormal human cells in vitro. Also, we performed acute toxicity studies in laboratory mice using different routes of administration of the agents, determining their safe doses for future in vivo studies. Based on the results obtained, a laboratory series (prototype) of ointment containing I. spicata extract treated with recombinant human arginase I was developed. It was shown that the use of such an ointment significantly accelerates the healing process of superficial wounds infected with P. aeruginosa in laboratory mice, without causing toxic manifestations.

Product Description

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Dmytro V. Demash
Galyna Y. Shuvayeva
Olena I. Vovk
Nikita V. Polishchuk

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2025-11-28