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Jawanpuria A, Asati S, Chaudhary U. Natural Compounds as Novel Biofilm Inhibitors: Targeting Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogenesis. JoMMID 2025; 13 (4) : 5
URL: http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-639-en.html
Natural Compounds as Novel Biofilm Inhibitors: Targeting Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogenesis
Ankita Jawanpuria * , Shruti Asati , Uma Chaudhary
Department of Microbiology, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract:   (22 Views)
Introduction: Biofilm formation by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria confers increased antimicrobial tolerance and contributes to persistent infections, presenting significant therapeutic challenges. These challenges have driven research into natural compounds that may target key processes, including efflux pump activity, quorum sensing, bacterial adhesion, and biofilm development. This study investigates the anti-biofilm efficacy of six naturally occurring compounds—berberine, chitosan, curcumin, eugenol, linoleic acid, and reserpine—against clinically relevant aerobic MDR bacterial pathogens. Methods: Biofilm formation was evaluated in 200 MDR clinical isolates, including isolates of Escherichia coli (n=49), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=46), Acinetobacter baumannii (n=24), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=29), Staphylococcus aureus (n=25), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (n=27), sourced from various clinical specimens, including pus, urine, blood, and sputum. Biofilm production was quantified using the modified tissue culture plate (MTCP) method. From these isolates, 36 strong biofilm-forming isolates were selected, and the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) of each compound was determined via a microtiter plate assay with two-fold serial dilutions. Results: Of 200 isolates, 101 (50.5%) exhibited biofilm formation. MBIC values ranged from 0.0156 mg/mL (lowest for eugenol against E. coli and reserpine against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus) to 1 mg/mL (for curcumin against P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii). Eugenol and reserpine showed significantly lower MBICs compared to curcumin (P < 0.05). Eugenol displayed the lowest mean MBIC (0.049 mg/mL) across the 36 selected strong biofilm-forming isolates, followed by reserpine (0.070 mg/mL), while curcumin exhibited the highest mean MBIC (0.583 mg/mL). Linoleic acid demonstrated its lowest MBIC (0.0312 mg/mL) against K. pneumoniae. Conclusion: The tested compounds exhibited variable anti-biofilm potency, with eugenol and reserpine demonstrating the greatest efficacy and curcumin the least, suggesting limited anti-biofilm efficacy at tested concentrations. These findings underscore the potential of eugenol, reserpine, linoleic acid, berberine, and chitosan as promising in vitro anti-biofilm candidates for managing biofilm-associated infections caused by MDR bacteria; however, in vivo efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety warrant further investigation in animal models and clinical trials.
 
Article number: 5
Keywords: Anti-biofilm activity, Berberine, Biofilm, Chitosan, Curcumin, Eugenol, Linoleic acid, Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, Natural compounds, Reserpine
     
Type of Study: Original article | Subject: Anti-microbial agents, resistance and treatment protocols
Received: 2023/12/19 | Accepted: 2025/12/10 | Published: 2026/02/3
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Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.