Investigation of Bactericidal Effects of
Medicinal Plant Extracts on Clinical Isolates and Monitoring Their
Biofilm Forming Potential
I Liaqat1,*,
Q Pervaiz1, S Jamil Bukhsh1, SI Ahmed2 and N Jahan1
1Department
of Zoology, Govt. College University, Lahore, Pakistan; 2Institute
of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan;
*Corresponding author: iramliaq@hotmail.com
Abstract
This study aims at checking the inhibitory
effects of different plant extracts on biofilm forming microorganisms isolated
from clinical setting. A total of 60 samples including 30 from oral sites and 30
from urine and wounds were collected and 50 morphologically different strains
were isolated. Six highly resistant strains were characterized morphologically,
physiologically, biochemically and genetically. Isolated strains were tested for
biofilm formation using test tube assay, Congo red assay and liquid-interface
coverslip assay. Antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of 5
different plants including Camellia sinensis (green tea),
Syzygium aromaticum (clove), Musa
sepientum (banana), Mentha piperita
(peppermint)and
Allium sativum (Garlic) was determined
both individually and in combination against selected strains in both planktonic
and biofilm mode. 16srRNA sequencing identified strains as
Providencia stuartii, Shigella sonnei,
Escherichia coli,
Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter aerogenes and
Macrococcus caseolyticus. Significant
biofilm formation was observed by each of the three methods for all strains
except for E. coli and
P. stuartii. Aqueous extract of
A. sativum showed highest
antibacterial activity against all strains with MIC ranging from 75-735 mg ml-1
and MBC from 255-740 mg ml-1. Aqueous extracts of
M. sepientum exhibited maximum biofilm
reduction in B. cereus. Reported
knowledge of medicinal plants as antibacterial and antibiofilm agents against
both highly contagious and antibiotic resistant gram positive and the gram
negative isolates provide novel information necessary to control their formation
in clinical setting. Hence, there is an increasing need to research new
substances with the ability to inhibit these strains.
Key words:
A. sativum, Biofilm
formation,
Methanolic extracts, Plant extracts