Thailand Medical Researchers Discover Plant Compound That Triggers Autophagy and Fights Tuberculosis
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 28, 2025 11 hours, 57 minutes ago
Thailand Medical News: A Natural Compound from Fingerroot Ginger Offers New Hope
Thailand Medical Researchers have uncovered a powerful new way to fight tuberculosis using a compound derived from fingerroot ginger, known scientifically as Boesenbergia rotunda. The compound, called Panduratin A, has been found to activate a natural cellular process called autophagy, which helps the body’s own immune cells destroy dangerous bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This breakthrough could offer an alternative path in tackling drug-resistant TB strains, which are becoming an increasing global threat. According to this
Thailand Medical News report, the study demonstrates that Panduratin A strengthens the immune system’s ability to clear TB bacteria from cells without the harmful side effects linked to many current treatments.
Thailand Medical Researchers Discover Plant Compound That Triggers Autophagy and Fights Tuberculosis
How the Study Was Conducted
The research was carried out by scientists from Mahidol University’s Faculty of Science and Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, with support from the Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics and the Excellent Center for Drug Discovery. Collaborations also involved specialists from the Siriraj Center of Research Excellence for Systems Pharmacology.
The team screened 127 natural compounds extracted from traditional medicinal herbs and discovered that Panduratin A stood out as a potent activator of autophagy in immune cells called macrophages. These are the cells that usually engulf tuberculosis bacteria but often struggle to kill them because the bacteria can block the natural destruction process. By turning on autophagy through a pathway called AMPK, Panduratin A essentially re-arms these macrophages, allowing them to trap and destroy the TB bacteria effectively. Importantly, this mechanism worked independently of another common pathway known as mTOR, meaning it could be combined with existing therapies without interference.
Key Findings from the Research
The study showed that Panduratin A strongly induced the formation of autophagic vacuoles, structures that capture and degrade TB bacteria. It reduced the number of tuberculosis bacteria inside infected macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. It worked through the Beclin-1 protein, which is essential for building autophagosomes, confirming that its effects are directly tied to the autophagy process. It did not kill TB bacteria directly but instead helped the body’s immune system clear them more efficiently. These results suggest Panduratin A could serve as a supportive treatment alongside conventional antibiotics, boosting the body’s own defenses. Since drug-resistant TB is difficult and often toxic to treat, a host-directed therapy like this represents an exciting potential breakthrough.
Why This Matters for the Future
Tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, with over 10 million new cases and 1.2 million deaths each year. Traditional antibiotics face growing challenges due to resistant
strains, making fresh approaches urgently necessary. By tapping into natural compounds from plants long used in Thai traditional medicine, researchers are pointing to new, safer ways of fighting this disease. The implications are significant as Panduratin A or similar compounds could one day be developed into supportive therapies that work hand-in-hand with antibiotics, shorten treatment times, and reduce toxic side effects. As global health systems search for answers to drug-resistant TB, this discovery positions Thailand at the forefront of innovative, nature-based medical solutions.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Molecular Microbiology.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mmi.70025
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
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