Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity by Natural Compounds

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Derived Antibiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 2855

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
Interests: bioactive compounds; antibiotic activity; biofilm
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Microorganisms, Department of Microbiology, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil
Interests: antimicrobial activity; antibiofilm activity; virulence; natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Soil Microbiology and Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Institute, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiaba, Brazil
Interests: soil microbiology; biodiversity; microbial ecolgy; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-Inoculant production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural compounds should be obtained from different sources, such as microbial and plants sources. Many compounds show antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, and the discovery of new molecules is a challenge to control multiresitant microorganisms and biofilm formation. For this Special Issue, we invite all researchers to publish results and reviews about the state of the art of different aspects of natural compounds and the potential to use in the future by the pharmaceutical industry. On the other hand, phytopathogenic microorganisms, especially fungi, show resistance against a large amount of fungicide, which is a big problem for crop production. In conclusion, natural compounds are a wild source for the discovery of new molecules that will aid animal and human health as well as crop production.

Prof. Dr. Galdino Andrade
Dr. Sueli F. Yamada-Ogatta
Prof. Dr. Martha Viviana Torres Cely
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • pathogens
  • human
  • animal
  • crops
  • antibiotic

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 2475 KiB  
Article
Green Tea Extract (Theaceae; Camellia sinensis L.): A Promising Antimicrobial, Anti-Quorum Sensing and Antibiofilm Candidate Against Multidrug-Resistant Campylobacter Species
by Mona S. Emara, Ahmed M. Ammar, Ashraf M.O. Abdelwahab, Attia A. Elgdawy, Adel Abdelkhalek, Elena Pet, Gabi Dumitrescu, Mirela Ahmadi and Norhan K. Abd El-Aziz
Antibiotics 2025, 14(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14010061 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 478
Abstract
Background: Thermophilic Campylobacter species are among the main culprits behind bacterial gastroenteritis globally and have grown progressively resistant to clinically important antimicrobials. Many studies have been carried out to explore innovative and alternative strategies to control antibiotic-resistant campylobacters in animal reservoirs and human [...] Read more.
Background: Thermophilic Campylobacter species are among the main culprits behind bacterial gastroenteritis globally and have grown progressively resistant to clinically important antimicrobials. Many studies have been carried out to explore innovative and alternative strategies to control antibiotic-resistant campylobacters in animal reservoirs and human hosts; however, limited studies have been performed to develop efficient control schemes against Campylobacter biofilms. Methods: This study investigated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of some herbal extracts against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Campylobacter species recovered from different sources using phenotypic and molecular techniques. Results: The overall Campylobacter species prevalence was 21.5%, representing 15.25% and 6.25% for C. jejuni and C. coli, respectively. Regarding C. jejuni, the highest resistance rate was observed for amoxicillin–clavulanic acid and colistin (85.25% each), followed by cefotaxime (83.61%) and tetracycline (81.97%), whereas C. coli isolates showed absolute resistance to cefotaxime followed by erythromycin (92%) and colistin (88%). Remarkably, all Campylobacter isolates were MDR with elevated multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) indices (0.54–1). The antimicrobial potentials of green tea (Camellia sinensis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) extracts against MDR Campylobacter isolates were assessed by the disk diffusion assay and broth microdilution technique. Green tea extract showed a marked inhibitory effect against tested isolates, exhibiting growth inhibition zone diameters of 8 to 38 mm and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of 1.56–3.12 mg/mL, unlike the rosemary and ginger extracts. Our findings reveal a respectable antibiofilm activity (>50% biofilm formation inhibition) of green tea against the preformed biofilms of Campylobacter isolates. Furthermore, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the expression levels of biofilm biosynthesis gene and its regulator (FlaA and LuxS, respectively) in Campylobacter isolates treated with the green tea extract in comparison with untreated ones. Conclusion: This is the first in vitro approach that has documented the inhibitory activity of green tea extract against MDR-biofilm-producing Campylobacter species isolated from different sources. Further in vivo studies in animals’ models should be performed to provide evidence of concept for the implementation of this alternative candidate for the mitigation of MDR Campylobacter infections in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity by Natural Compounds)
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17 pages, 5886 KiB  
Article
Interference of Celastrol with Cell Wall Synthesis and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis
by Leandro de León Guerra, Nayely Padilla Montaño and Laila Moujir
Antibiotics 2025, 14(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14010026 - 3 Jan 2025
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Abstract
Background: The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Staphylococcus epidermidis, underscores the need for novel antimicrobial agents. Celastrol, a natural compound derived from the plants of the Celastraceae family, has demonstrated promising antibacterial and antibiofilm properties against various pathogens. Objectives: This study [...] Read more.
Background: The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Staphylococcus epidermidis, underscores the need for novel antimicrobial agents. Celastrol, a natural compound derived from the plants of the Celastraceae family, has demonstrated promising antibacterial and antibiofilm properties against various pathogens. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial effects, mechanism of action, and antibiofilm activity of celastrol against S. epidermidis, an emerging opportunistic pathogen. Methods: To investigate the mechanism of action of celastrol, its antibacterial activity was evaluated by determining the time–kill curves, assessing macromolecular synthesis, and analysing its impact on the stability and functionality of the bacterial cell membrane. Additionally, its effect on biofilm formation and disruption was examined. Results: Celastrol exhibited significant antibacterial activity with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.31 μg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 15 μg/mL, which is superior to conventional antibiotics used as control. Time–kill assays revealed a concentration-dependent bactericidal effect, with a shift from bacteriostatic activity at lower concentrations to bactericidal and lytic effect at higher concentrations. Celastrol inhibited cell wall biosynthesis by blocking the incorporation of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) into peptidoglycan. In contrast, the cytoplasmic membrane was only affected at higher concentrations of the compound or after prolonged exposure times. Additionally, celastrol was able to disrupt biofilm formation at concentrations of 0.9 μg/mL and to eradicate pre-formed biofilms at 7.5 μg/mL in S. epidermidis. Conclusions: Celastrol exhibits significant antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against S. epidermidis, with a primary action on cell wall synthesis. Its efficacy in disrupting the formation of biofilms and pre-formed biofilms suggests its potential as a therapeutic agent for infections caused by biofilm-forming S. epidermidis resistant to conventional treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity by Natural Compounds)
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17 pages, 4616 KiB  
Article
Fluopsin C Promotes Biofilm Removal of XDR Acinetobacter baumannii and Presents an Additive Effect with Polymyxin B on Planktonic Cells
by Leandro Afonso, Kathlen Giovana Grzegorczyk, Julio Martins Salomão, Kawany Roque Basso, Leonardo Cruz Alves, Maria Clara Davis Silva, Andreas Lazaros Chryssafidis, Bárbara Gionco-Cano, Sueli Fumie Yamada-Ogatta and Galdino Andrade
Antibiotics 2024, 13(9), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13090875 - 12 Sep 2024
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Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii emerged as one of the most important pathogens for the development of new antimicrobials due to the worldwide detection of isolates resistant to all commercial antibiotics, especially in nosocomial infections. Biofilm formation enhances A. baumannii survival by impairing antimicrobial action, being [...] Read more.
Acinetobacter baumannii emerged as one of the most important pathogens for the development of new antimicrobials due to the worldwide detection of isolates resistant to all commercial antibiotics, especially in nosocomial infections. Biofilm formation enhances A. baumannii survival by impairing antimicrobial action, being an important target for new antimicrobials. Fluopsin C (FlpC) is an organocupric secondary metabolite with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of FlpC in established biofilms of extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii (XDRAb) and the effects of its combination with polymyxin B (PolB) on planktonic cells. XDRAb susceptibility profiles were determined by Vitek 2 Compact, disk diffusion, and broth microdilution. FlpC and PolB interaction was assessed using the microdilution checkerboard method and time–kill kinetics. Biofilms of XDRAb characterization and removal by FlpC exposure were assessed by biomass staining with crystal violet. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy was used to determine the temporal removal of the biofilms using DAPI, and cell viability using live/dead staining. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of FlpC on XDRAb was 3.5 µg mL−1. Combining FlpC + PolB culminated in an additive effect, increasing bacterial susceptibility to both antibiotics. FlpC-treated 24 h biofilms reached a major biomass removal of 92.40 ± 3.38% (isolate 230) using 7.0 µg mL−1 FlpC. Biomass removal occurred significantly over time through the dispersion of the extracellular matrix and decreasing cell number and viability. This is the first report of FlpC’s activity on XDRAb and the compound showed a promissory response on planktonic and sessile cells, making it a candidate for the development of a new antimicrobial product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity by Natural Compounds)
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