The effects of selected phytochemicals on biofilm formed by five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Nat Prod Res. 2018 Jun;32(11):1299-1302. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1340282. Epub 2017 Jun 18.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of 0.1% thyme oil (TO), trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), caffeic acid (CA), lavender essential oil (LO), geranium essential oil (GO) and tee tree oil (TTO) to control biofilms formed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Depending on the strains, TO reduced 59.7-85% of biofilm mass, while TC 52.9-82.4% after 48 h of treatment. Reduction of metabolic activity of biofilms in ranges 79.3-86% and 85.9-88.7% was observed after 48 h of TC and TO of treatment, respectively. In the case of some strains, reduction of biofilm mass in the presence of FA, CA, GO, LO and TTO was not observed. This study showed that TO and TC might have therapeutic potential as an inhibitory agents for use in MRSA biofilm-related infections.

Keywords: Antibiofilm activity; essential oils; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); phytochemicals.

MeSH terms

  • Acrolein / analogs & derivatives
  • Acrolein / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Caffeic Acids / pharmacology
  • Coumaric Acids / pharmacology
  • Geranium / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Lavandula
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology
  • Plant Oils / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology
  • Propionates
  • Thymus Plant / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Caffeic Acids
  • Coumaric Acids
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Oils
  • Propionates
  • Acrolein
  • ferulic acid
  • p-coumaric acid
  • cinnamaldehyde
  • caffeic acid
  • lavender oil