Project description:The combination of plant extract and antibiotic represents a template for developing of antibiofilm drugs. This study investigated the synergistic effects of pomegranate/rosemary/antibiotic combinations against antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results showed that 17 (85%) of total P. aeruginosa isolates were biofilm producers; however, 5 (25%) isolates were demonstrated as a strong biofilm producer. The highest MIC level (1024 μg/ml) of tested antibiotics against strong biofilm producer isolates was observed with piperacillin, however the MIC ranges of ceftazidime, gentamycin, imipenem, and levofloxacin against these isolates were reached to (256-1024 μg/ml), (32-1024 μg/ml), (8-1024 μg/ml), and (8-512 μg/ml), respectively. PS-1 was the representative isolate for strong biofilm formation and high antibiotic resistance. 16S rRNA gene analysis suggested that PS-1 (accession No. MN619678) was identified as a strain of P. aeruginosa POA1. Pomegranate and rosemary extracts were the most effective extracts in biofilm inhibition, which significantly inhibited 91.93 and 90.83% of PS-1 biofilm, respectively. Notably, the synergism between both plant extracts and antibiotics has significantly reduced the MICs of used antibiotics at the level lower than the susceptibility breakpoints. Pomegranate/rosemary/antibiotic combinations achieved the highest biofilm eradication, which ranging from 90.0 to 99.6%, followed by the eradication ranges of pomegranate/rosemary combination, rosemary, and pomegranate extracts, which reached to (76.5-85.4%), (53.1-73.7%), and (41.2-71.5%), respectively. The findings suggest that pomegranate/rosemary/antibiotic combinations may be an effective therapeutic agent for antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa.
Project description:ObjectiveThe synergism among extracts of Senna alata, Ricinus communis, and Lannea barteri, and their anti-infective activities were investigated. The data collected for the antimicrobial activity of the extracts combinations were interpreted to be one of the following categories: synergy; indifferent; additive; or antagonistic. The interpretation was made based on the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) results. FICI of ≤ 0.5 indicates synergism, > 0.5 to 1 indicates additive effects, > 1 to ≤ 4 indifference, and > 4 is considered to be antagonism.ResultsCompared with the data of the individual extracts, the MIC values of the extract-extract combinations against all strains of the tested microorganisms were significantly lower, ranging from 0.97 to 1.17, 0.97 to 4.69, 0.50 to 1.17, 1.17 to 3.12 and 2.34 to 4.69 mg/mL for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia and Candida albicans respectively. L. bateri aqueous-S. alata ethanol extracts and S. alata aqueous-R. cummunis ethanol extracts combinations showed a synergy effect against all the test microorganisms. The other combinations exhibited at least one additive effect. Neither antagonism nor indifference activity was observed. This study validates the relevance of combining these plants in treating infections by traditional medicine practitioners.
Project description:Antimicrobial resistance is increasing globally and is one of the major public health concerns. This highlights the need to search for new antimicrobial agents. Natural fruit by-products are a rich source of bioactive compounds. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit is particularly rich in phenolic bioactive phytochemicals. These compounds are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Furthermore, they exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial effects. Bioactive phytochemicals are found mainly in peel (exocarp and mesocarp), which constitutes about 50% of the whole fresh fruit. This study utilized pomegranate of Jordanian origin to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of different Pomegranate peel extracts (PPEs) alone and/or in combination with antibacterial agents against four bacterial strains. Different solvents and extraction methods were employed to obtain the PPEs. A key focus was to explore the enhancement of antibacterial activity against gentamicin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) when microwaved aqueous extracts are combined with gentamicin. The antibacterial activity of PPEs varied depending on the extraction method and the solvent used. Notably, the aqueous macerate and microwave-assisted extract showed high potency and similar activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and P. aeruginosa (MICs 12.5, 25, and 25 μg/μL, respectively for both aqueous extracts). In contrast, Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) was more susceptible to the inhibitory activity of organic PPEs with a MIC of 25 μg/μL recorded with the use of ethanolic solvents. Bacterial antagonistic activity was observed against gentamicin-resistant P. aeruginosa, particularly when lower concentrations (3.125, 1.562, 0.781, and 0.39 μg/μL) of microwaved aqueous PPEs were evaluated in combination with different concentrations of gentamicin. In conclusion, pomegranate peels, a natural and safe by-product, demonstrate promising antimicrobial potential. Furthermore, combining PPEs with conventional antibiotics shows promise in addressing antibiotic resistance, highlighting their potential role in treating infectious diseases.
Project description:Previous studies have clearly demonstrated that the addition of lentisk oil (LO) to streptococcal cultures makes it possible to differentiate Streptococcus spp. into three categories with Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus intermedius sensitive, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus mutans partially sensitive, and Streptococcus salivarius insensitive to the product. We have investigated here whether the winterization of LO, an easy and cheap procedure that removes some of the fatty substances contained within, resulted in a better antimicrobial effect on human pathogens affecting the pharyngeal mucosa and middle ear such as S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae, without affecting, or minimally affecting, S. salivarius strains, oral probiotics commonly used to reduce oral and middle ear infection recurrence, especially in children. Our results not only demonstrated a stronger antimicrobial action of winterized LO (WLO) on S. pyogenes, compared to what was seen with LO, but also demonstrated a strong antimicrobial action vs. S. pneumoniae and M. catarrhalis and a very limited effect on S. salivarius (strains K12 and M18). Moreover, WLO demonstrated a co-acting action when tested along with the antibiotics amoxicillin (A) and amoxicillin clavulanate (AC), effects clearly visible also on H. influenzae. Our results also showed that at least part of the antimicrobial effect observed was due to the presence of anacardic acids (AAs). Finally, WLO, when tested with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (h-PBMCs), reduced the release of IL-6 and TNF-α and, in the case of cells stimulated by LPS, the release of IFN-γ. In conclusion, our study highlights an enhanced antimicrobial role for LO when winterized, suggests a co-acting effect of this when given with antibiotics, identifies AAs as possible active ingredients, and proposes a possible anti-inflammatory role for it.
Project description:Essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts have demonstrated inhibitory activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the chemical composition of manuka, kanuka, peppermint, thyme, lavender, and feijoa leaf and peel EOs and feijoa peel and leaf extracts were analyzed, and their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria monocytogenes were determined. The results showed that the major compounds varied among different EOs and extracts, with menthol in peppermint EO, thymol and carvacrol in thyme EO, linalool in lavender EO, β-caryophyllene in feijoa EO, and flavones in feijoa extract being the most prevalent. The study found that while EOs/extracts had antimicrobial activity alone, no individual EO/extract was highly effective against all tested species. Therefore, their combinations were tested to identify those that could broaden the spectrum of activity and act synergistically. The checkerboard method was applied to assess the possible synergism between the paired combinations of EOs/extract. The peppermint/thyme, peppermint/lavender, and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations exhibited a synergistic effect against E. coli and L. monocytogenes, with the peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations being the most effective against all five pathogens. Time-to-kill kinetics assays demonstrated that peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations achieved complete eradication of E. coli within 10-30 min and L. monocytogenes within 4-6 h. This study provides a promising approach to developing a natural alternative for food preservation using synergistic combinations of EOs/extracts, which could potentially reduce the required dosage and broaden their application in food products as natural preservatives.
Project description:Despite extensive research on the chemical composition of elderberries and their numerous uses in pharmaceutical, beverage, and food production, there is still a lack of knowledge about Sambucus nigra leaves and flowers' antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens. In this study, the phytoconstituents of their aqueous ammonia extracts were first characterized by infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major phytocompounds identified in the flower extract were octyl 2-methylpropanoate; 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydropyran-4-one; propyl malonic acid; adenine; and 1-methyl-2-piperidinemethanol. Concerning the leaf extract, 1,6-anhydro-β-D-glucopyranose; oleic acid; 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole; 2,3-dihydro-benzofuran; and 4-((1E)-3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenol and other phenol derivatives were the main constituents. The potential of the extracts to act as bioprotectants was then investigated against three almond tree pathogens: Diaporthe amygdali, Phytophthora megasperma, and Verticillium dahliae. In vitro tests showed higher activity of the flower extract, with EC90 values in the 241-984 μg·mL-1 range (depending on the pathogen) vs. 354-1322 μg·mL-1 for the leaf extract. In addition, the flower extract led to full protection against P. megasperma at a dose of 1875 μg·mL-1 in ex situ tests on artificially-infected excised almond stems. These inhibitory concentrations were lower than those of commercial fungicides. These findings suggest that S. nigra aerial organs may be susceptible to valorization as an alternative to synthetic fungicides for the protection of this important crop.
Project description:Hospital acquired infections caused due to ESKAPE pathogens pose a challenge for treatment due to their growing antimicrobial resistance. Curcuma aromatica (CA) is traditionally known for its antibacterial, wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study highlights the biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (CAAgNPs) capped and stabilized by the compounds from CA rhizome extract, also further demonstrating their antibacterial, antibiofilm and synergistic effects against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. CAAgNPs were synthesized using aqueous rhizome extract of CA (5 mg/ml) and AgNO3 (0.8 mM) incubated at 60°C up to 144 h. UV-vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed CAAgNPs with characteristic peak at 430 nm, 13 ± 5 nm size of spherical shape, showing presence of silver and crystalline nature, respectively. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential confirmed their monodispersed nature with average diameter of 77.88 ± 48.60 nm and stability. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis demonstrated the presence of phenolic -OH and carbonyl groups possibly involved in the reduction and stabilization of CAAgNPs. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations (MBICs) of CAAgNPs against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, NCIM 5029 and PAW1, and, Staphylococcus aureus, NCIM 5021 and S8 were in range from 8 to 128 μg/ml. Almost 50% disruption of pre-formed biofilms at concentrations 8-1,024 μg/ml was observed. Fluorescence microscopy and FESEM analysis confirmed cell death and disruption of pre-formed biofilms of P. aeruginosa PAW1 and S. aureus S8. Checkerboard assay demonstrated the synergistic effect of CAAgNPs (0.125-4 μg/ml) in combination with various antibiotics (0.063-1,024 μg/ml) against planktonic and biofilm forms of P. aeruginosa PAW1. The study confirms the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of CAAgNPs alone and in combination with antibiotics against MDR pathogens, thus, reducing the dose as well as toxicity of both. CAAgNPs have the potential to be used in wound dressings and ointments, and to improve the performances of medical devices and surgical implants. In vivo toxicity of CAAgNPs however needs to be tested further using mice models.
Project description:BackgroundMultidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are acknowledged as one of the main factors contributing to chronic illnesses and fatalities globally. Numerous diseases, including bloodstream infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections, can be brought on by MDR bacteria. Therefore, a crucial topic of continuing research is the development of a novel and different treatment for MDR microbial pathogens. This work is introduce an alternative method for elimination of MDR bacterial isolates which are causative agents of urinary tract infection among people in Egypt. In our study, we need a novel strategy to combat MDR bacteria by green-synthesized metal nanoparticles (MNPs). That is due to the ability of MNPs to penetrate the cell wall and the cell membrane of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.MethodsClinical isolates of MDR bacteria had their antibiotic susceptibility assessed before being molecularly identified using 16 s rRNA, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Also, genetic profiles of isolated strains were performed using ISSR and SDS-PAGE. Finally, characterized plant-mediated silver nanoparticles derived from lemon and pomegranate peel extracts were evaluated against isolated multidrug-resistant bacterial stains.ResultsIn our present trial, one-hundred urine samples were collected from 71 females and 29 males complaining of UTI (urinary tract infection) symptoms. One-hundred microbial isolates were isolated, including 88-g negative and only 8-g positive bacteria in addition to four yeast isolates (Candida species). A total of 72% of the isolated bacteria showed MDR activity. The most prevalent MDR bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) were identified through 16S rDNA PCR sequencing as with accession numbers OP741103, OP741104, OP741105, OP741106, and OP741107, respectively. Lemon and pomegranate-mediated silver nanoparticles [Ag-NPs] were characterized by UV spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and TEM with average size 32 and 28 nm, respectively. Lemon and pomegranate-mediated silver nanoparticles [Ag-NPs] showed an inhibitory effect on the selected five MDR isolates at MIC 50 and 30 µg/mL, respectively. These common bacterial isolates were also genetically examined using ISSR PCR, and their total protein level was evaluated using SDS-PAGE, showing the presence of distinct genetic and protein bands for each bacterial species and emphasizing their general and protein composition as a crucial and essential tool in understanding and overcoming MDR behavior in UTI patients.ConclusionsLemon and pomegranate-mediated silver nanoparticles [Ag-NPs] were found to have an inhibitory effect on MDR isolates. Therefore, the study suggests that [Ag-NPs] could be a potential treatment for MDR UTI infections caused by the identified bacterial species.