BackgroundTotarol is a naturally produced diterpene originally isolated from the heartwood of Podocarpus totara, a yew tree found in New Zealand. Recent studies have shown Totarol has unique antimicrobial and therapeutic properties.
Totarol exhibits antimicrobial properties in numerous species including gram-positive bacteria, acid-fast bacteria, nematodes, parasitic protozoans, crustaceous foulers. In addition to inhibiting microorganisms by itself, (+)- totarol exhibits inhibitory synergy with currently used antimicrobial drugs: (+)- totarol potentiates isonicotinic acid hydrazide against various Mycobactiera.; methicillin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus; and anacardic acid and erythromycin against Staphylococcus aureus.