Premium
Anti‐adhesive properties of culinary and medicinal plants against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in ex vivo porcine skin model
Author(s) -
Lester Christen,
Huerta Veronica,
Van Hal Michelle,
Crixell Sylvia,
Vattem Dhiraj A
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.716.5
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , pseudomonas aeruginosa , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , ex vivo , bacteria , in vivo , skin infection , antibacterial activity , chemistry , biology , genetics
Adhesion and survival of pathogens on skin can lead to serious infection. This is a particularly important in environments with high risk for cross‐infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common pathogenic bacteria responsible for infections transmitted from skin, especially since antibiotic resistant strains of these bacteria are becoming more prevalent. Non‐bactericidal compounds with anti‐adhesive activity can serve as an alternative to antibiotics and limit antibiotic resistance. Our objective was to screen 31 culinary and medicinal plants (CMP) used in traditional medicine for their anti‐adhesive properties against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa in an ex‐vivo porcine skin model. The low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) and high molecular weight fraction (HMWF) were isolated from CMP using standard protocols. The anti‐adhesive activity was tested on freshly excised porcine ear skin obtained from pigs slaughtered at a local abattoir. 4 cm 2 of skin inoculated by spreading with 50 μl of 10 6 cfu/ml of either S. aureus or P. aeruginosa were incubated in the presence and absence of LMWF and HMWF for 1 h and washed. Adherent bacteria were isolated in a stomacher and bacterial count was determined by plate count method. Our results indicate that in general HMWF were more effective in reducing the adhesion of S. aureus or P.aeruginosa . The HMWF from 11 samples proved to be effective against S. aureus , their anti‐adhesive activity ranged between 11‐46%. HMWF from 12 samples were effective against P. aeruginosa and their anti‐adhesive activity ranged between 6‐51%. Several CMP in our study had anti‐adhesive effects; the HMWF from these plants could be used as alternative therapy for preventing S. aureus and P.aeruginosa infections.