Fighting multidrug resistance with a fruit extract: anti-cancer and anti-biofilm activities of Acca sellowiana

Nat Prod Res. 2021 May;35(10):1686-1689. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2019.1624961. Epub 2019 Jun 7.

Abstract

In this study, the efficacy of Acca sellowiana fruit acetonic extract on human MDR cancer cells was tested for the first time, and it was demonstrated that the fruit extract is effective on both sensitive and resistant tumor cells. The effects of A. sellowiana extract on bacterial biofilm were also examined for the first time. By crystal violet assays and confocal microscopy analyses, it was demonstrated that the plant extract is able to strongly inhibit biofilm formation of both sensitive and resistant bacterial strains. Furthermore, antimicrobial activity assays and TEM analyses clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of plant extract on planktonic bacterial cells in both sensitive and resistant strains. Altogether, these findings intriguingly expand the panel of activities of A. sellowiana fruit extract with respect to previous reports, and open interesting perspectives to its therapeutic applications.

Keywords: Fruit extract; antibiotic resistance; bacterial biofilm; multidrug resistant tumor cells.

MeSH terms

  • Acetone / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Feijoa / chemistry*
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Plant Extracts
  • Acetone