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Antibiotics
Special Issues
Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance
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Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2022) | Viewed by 30830

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Gianna Tempera

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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
Interests: in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of natural and synthetic substances; drug delivery; biofilm; urogynaecological infections
Dr. Carlo Genovese

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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Microbiology Section, University of Catania, 95124 Catania CT, Italy
Interests: in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of natural and synthetic substances; drug delivery; biofilm; urogynaecological infections
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Antonia Nostro

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Interests: antimicrobials; biofilm; natural and conventional compounds; antimicrobial materials; antimicrobial delivery systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

From ancient times to today, we have known the therapeutic properties of plants, so much so that for a long period of time plants have been considered an important source of natural products able to maintain human well-being. Especially in the last decade, many studies of natural therapies have been published.

In particular, numerous studies have been published in the field of infectious diseases, which confirm the ability of plant extracts to inhibit in vitro the multiplication of many human pathogens. Many studies also describe the phytochemical analysis of biologically active substances and their mechanisms of action, but there are few studies related to their development and therapeutic applicability, probably because they possess an intrinsic power too low to be usable in clinical practice without the risk of harmful side effects.

We would therefore first of all like to focus this Special Issue on the possibility of increasing their antimicrobial activity by examples such as the following:

  • Technologies by which plant antimicrobials can be delivered (liposomes, nanoparticles, etc.)
  • Developing natural products as potential anti-biofilm agents
  • Plant Antimicrobial Peptides (Laboratory and clinical studies have determined that resistance to AMPs is less likely than resistance to conventional antibiotics. This is due to the way their membrane-targeting mechanisms of action find it more difficult to develop resistance to antibiotics, which generally target macromolecular synthesis (DNA, RNA, and protein).

In addition to applications in human therapy, it would be interesting to include studies on their application in the food industry, such as the development of antimicrobial food packaging systems.        These are just examples, but there may be other proposals, so manuscripts that cover other fields of application of substances extracted from plants are welcome.

Prof. Gianna Tempera
Dr. Carlo Genovese
Prof. Dr. Antonia Nostro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Plant extracts
  • Drug delivery
  • Biofilm inhibition
  • Plant Antimicrobial Peptides
  • Antimicrobial food packaging systems

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3366 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Antifungal Activity and Action of Saussurea costus Root Extracts against Candida albicans and Non-albicans Species
by Melad F. Soliman, Youssria M. Shetaia, Ahmed A. Tayel, Alaa M. Munshi, Fuad A. Alatawi, Mohammed A. Alsieni and Mahmoud A. Al-Saman
Antibiotics 2022, 11(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11030327 - 1 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4086
Abstract
The isolation and assessment of the active constituents in polar and non-polar crude extracts of Saussurea costus roots as antifungal agents, against Candida albicans and non-C. albicans (NAC) species, was the aim of this current investigation. The SEM “Scanning electron microscopy” [...] Read more.
The isolation and assessment of the active constituents in polar and non-polar crude extracts of Saussurea costus roots as antifungal agents, against Candida albicans and non-C. albicans (NAC) species, was the aim of this current investigation. The SEM “Scanning electron microscopy” imaging provided potential action modes of n-hexane extract (nhhE) toward Candida spp., whereas the TLC-DB “Thin layer chromatography-direct bioautography” was employed for detecting the anticandidal compounds. nhhE had the greatest biocidal activity against all strains and clinical isolates of Candida spp. with maximum zones of inhibition. SEM revealed the occurrence of irregular, dense inclusions of C. albicans cell walls after treatment with nhhE for 12 h. Complete morphological distortions with lysed membranes and deterioration signs appeared in most treated cells of C. parapsilosis. The most effectual compound with anticandidal activity was isolated using TLC-BD and identified as sesquiterpene by GC/MS analysis. The infra-red analysis revealed the presence of lactone ring stretching vibrations at 1766.72 cm−1. The anticandidal activity of nhhE of S. costus roots was confirmed from the results, and the treated cotton fabrics with nhhE of S. costus possessed observable activity against C. albicans. Data could recommend the practical usage of S. costus extracts, particularly nhhE, as influential natural bioactive sources for combating pathogenic Candida spp. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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27 pages, 14123 KiB  
Article
Anti-Candidal Activity of the Parasitic Plant Orobanche crenata Forssk
by Floriana D’Angeli, Fiorella Guadagni, Carlo Genovese, Daria Nicolosi, Angela Trovato Salinaro, Mariarita Spampinato, Giuliana Mannino, Debora Lo Furno, Giulio Petronio Petronio, Simone Ronsisvalle, Federica Sipala, Luca Falzone and Vittorio Calabrese
Antibiotics 2021, 10(11), 1373; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10111373 - 9 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2838
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Candida glabrata (C. glabrata) are part of the human microbiome. However, they possess numerous virulence factors, which confer them the ability to cause both local and systemic infections. Candidiasis can involve multiple organs, including [...] Read more.
Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Candida glabrata (C. glabrata) are part of the human microbiome. However, they possess numerous virulence factors, which confer them the ability to cause both local and systemic infections. Candidiasis can involve multiple organs, including the eye. In the present study, we investigated the anti-candidal activity and the re-epithelizing effect of Orobanche crenata leaf extract (OCLE). By the microdilution method, we demonstrated an inhibitory effect of OCLE on both C. albicans and C. glabrata growth. By crystal violet and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, we showed the ability of OCLE to inhibit the biofilm formation and the viability of yeast cells, respectively. By germ tube and adhesion assays, we proved the capacity of OCLE to affect the morphological transition of C. albicans and the adhesion of both pathogens to human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19), respectively. Besides, by MTT and wound healing assay, we evaluated the cytotoxic and re-epithelizing effects of OCLE on ARPE-19. Finally, the Folin–Ciocalteu and the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry revealed a high content of phenols and the presence of several bioactive molecules in the extract. Our results highlighted new properties of O. crenata, useful in the control of Candida infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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15 pages, 348 KiB  
Article
Essential Oil and Hydrophilic Antibiotic Co-Encapsulation in Multiple Lipid Nanoparticles: Proof of Concept and In Vitro Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
by Rayhane Ben-Khalifa, Frédéric Bustos Gaspar, Cristina Pereira, Leila Chekir-Ghedira and Soraya Rodríguez-Rojo
Antibiotics 2021, 10(11), 1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10111300 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2897
Abstract
In the worldwide context of an impending emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, this research combined the advantages of multiple lipid nanoparticles (MLNs) and the promising therapeutic use of essential oils (EOs) as a strategy to fight the antibiotic resistance of three Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains [...] Read more.
In the worldwide context of an impending emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, this research combined the advantages of multiple lipid nanoparticles (MLNs) and the promising therapeutic use of essential oils (EOs) as a strategy to fight the antibiotic resistance of three Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with different cefepime (FEP) resistance profiles. MLNs were prepared by ultrasonication using glyceryl trioleate (GTO) and glyceryl tristearate (GTS) as a liquid and a solid lipid, respectively. Rosemary EO (REO) was selected as the model EO. REO/FEP-loaded MLNs were characterized by their small size (~110 nm), important encapsulation efficiency, and high physical stability over time (60 days). An assessment of the antimicrobial activity was performed using antimicrobial susceptibility testing assays against selected P. aeruginosa strains. The assays showed a considerable increase in the antibacterial property of REO-loaded MLNs compared with the effect of crude EO, especially against P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027, in which the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value decreased from 80 to 0.6 mg/mL upon encapsulation. Furthermore, the incorporation of FEP in MLNs stabilized the drug without affecting its antipseudomonal activity. Thus, the ability to co-encapsulate an essential oil and a hydrophilic antibiotic into MLN has been successfully proved, opening new possibilities for the treatment of serious antimicrobial infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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20 pages, 2675 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Profile and Microbiological Activity of Some Plants Belonging to the Fabaceae Family
by Diana Obistioiu, Ileana Cocan, Emil Tîrziu, Viorel Herman, Monica Negrea, Alexandra Cucerzan, Alina-Georgeta Neacsu, Antoanela Lena Cozma, Ileana Nichita, Anca Hulea, Isidora Radulov and Ersilia Alexa
Antibiotics 2021, 10(6), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10060662 - 1 Jun 2021
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5259
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and the activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 25923), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) (ATCC 19615), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (ATCC 27853), Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) (ATCC 12022), Salmonella [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and the activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 25923), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes) (ATCC 19615), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) (ATCC 27853), Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) (ATCC 12022), Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) (ATCC 14028), Haemophillus influenzae (H. influenza) type B (ATCC 10211) and two fungal strains: Candida albicans (C. albicans) (ATCC 10231) and Candida parapsilopsis (C. parapsilopsis) (ATCC 22019) of the extracts obtained from Melilotus officinalis (MO), Coronilla varia (CV); Ononis spinosa (OS) and Robinia pseudoacacia (RP) (Fabaceae), and to identify the chemical compounds responsible for the antimicrobial effect against the tested strains. The extracts were obtained by conventional hydroalcoholic extraction and analyzed in terms of total polyphenols using the spectrophotometric method and by liquid chromatography (LC). The results have shown that the highest polyphenols content was recorded in the RP sample (16.21 mg gallic acid equivalent GAE/g), followed by the CV (15.06 mg GAE/g), the OS (13.17 mg GAE/g), the lowest value being recorded for the MO sample (11.94 mg GAE/g). The antimicrobial testing of plant extracts was carried out using the microdilution method. The most sensitive strains identified were: E. coli, S. typhimurium, P. aeruginosa and S. pyogenes, while protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol were identified as the chemical compounds responsible for the antibacterial effect. The analysis of the correlation between the chemical composition and the antimicrobial effect proved a moderate (r > 0.5) positive correlation between rosmarinic acid and S. pyogenes (r = 0.526), rosmarinic acid and S. typhimurium (r = 0.568), quercetin and C. albicans (r = 0.553), quercetin and S. pyogenes (r = 0.605). Therefore, it suggested possible antimicrobial activity generated by these chemical components. The results recommend the Fabaceae plants as promising candidates for further research to develop novel natural antimicrobial drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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11 pages, 1483 KiB  
Article
Rapid Screening of Essential Oils as Substances Which Enhance Antibiotic Activity Using a Modified Well Diffusion Method
by Ze-Hua Cui, Hui-Ling He, Shuai-Bin Wu, Chun-Liu Dong, Si-Ya Lu, Ti-Jiang Shan, Liang-Xing Fang, Xiao-Ping Liao, Ya-Hong Liu and Jian Sun
Antibiotics 2021, 10(4), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10040463 - 20 Apr 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4884
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as one of the major global health challenges of the 21st century. Synergistic combinations for antimicrobial therapies can be a good strategy for the treatment of multidrug resistant infections. We examined the ability of a group of 29 plant [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as one of the major global health challenges of the 21st century. Synergistic combinations for antimicrobial therapies can be a good strategy for the treatment of multidrug resistant infections. We examined the ability of a group of 29 plant essential oils as substances which enhance the antibiotic activity. We used a modified well diffusion method to establish a high-throughput screening method for easy and rapid identification of high-level enhancement combinations against bacteria. We found that 25 essential oils possessed antibacterial activity against Escherichia Coli ATCC 25922 and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 43300 with MICs that ranged from 0.01% to 2.5% v/v. We examined 319 (11 × 29) combinations in a checkerboard assay with E. Coli ATCC 25922 and MRSA 43300, and the result showed that high-level enhancement combinations were 48 and 44, low-level enhancement combinations were 214 and 211, and no effects combinations were 57 and 64, respectively. For further verification we randomly chose six combinations that included orange and Petitgrain essential oils in a standard time-killing assay. The results are in great agreement with those of the well diffusion assays. Therefore, the modified diffusion method was a rapid and effective method to screen high-level enhancement combinations of antibiotics and essential oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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21 pages, 6852 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Antibacterial, Anti-Adhesive and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Krameria lappacea (Dombey) Burdet & B.B. Simpson Root Extract against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains
by Carlo Genovese, Floriana D’Angeli, Francesco Bellia, Alfio Distefano, Mariarita Spampinato, Francesco Attanasio, Daria Nicolosi, Valentina Di Salvatore, Gianna Tempera, Debora Lo Furno, Giuliana Mannino, Fabio Milardo and Giovanni Li Volti
Antibiotics 2021, 10(4), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10040428 - 13 Apr 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3900 | Correction
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) represents a serious threat to public health, due to its large variety of pathogenetic mechanisms. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the anti-MRSA activities of Krameria lappacea, a medicinal plant native to South America. Through Ultra-High-Performance Liquid [...] Read more.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) represents a serious threat to public health, due to its large variety of pathogenetic mechanisms. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the anti-MRSA activities of Krameria lappacea, a medicinal plant native to South America. Through Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass spectrometry, we analyzed the chemical composition of Krameria lappacea root extract (KLRE). The antibacterial activity of KLRE was determined by the broth microdilution method, also including the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration and minimum biofilm eradication concentration. Besides, we evaluated the effect on adhesion and invasion of human lung carcinoma A549 cell line by MRSA strains. The obtained results revealed an interesting antimicrobial action of this extract, which efficiently inhibit the growth, biofilm formation, adhesion and invasion of MRSA strains. Furthermore, the chemical analysis revealed the presence in the extract of several flavonoid compounds and type-A and type-B proanthocyanidins, which are known for their anti-adhesive effects. Taken together, our findings showed an interesting antimicrobial activity of KLRE, giving an important contribution to the current knowledge on the biological activities of this plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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17 pages, 3455 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Activities of Juglans regia L. Pellicle Extract
by Floriana D’Angeli, Giuseppe Antonio Malfa, Adriana Garozzo, Giovanni Li Volti, Carlo Genovese, Aldo Stivala, Daria Nicolosi, Francesco Attanasio, Francesco Bellia, Simone Ronsisvalle and Rosaria Acquaviva
Antibiotics 2021, 10(2), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10020159 - 4 Feb 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5041
Abstract
The difficulty to treat resistant strains-related hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) promoted the study of phytoextracts, known sources of bioactive molecules. Accordingly, in the present study, the pharmacological activities of Juglans regia (L.) pellicle extract (WPE) were investigated. The antiviral effect was tested against Herpes [...] Read more.
The difficulty to treat resistant strains-related hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) promoted the study of phytoextracts, known sources of bioactive molecules. Accordingly, in the present study, the pharmacological activities of Juglans regia (L.) pellicle extract (WPE) were investigated. The antiviral effect was tested against Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, Poliovirus 1, Adenovirus 2, Echovirus 9, Coxsackievirus B1 through the plaque reduction assay. The antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated against medically important strains, by the microdilution method. DPPH and superoxide dismutase (SOD)s-like activity assays were used to determine the antioxidant effect. Besides, the extract was screened for cytotoxicity on Caco-2, MCF-7, and HFF1 cell lines by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also evaluated. Interestingly, WPE inhibited Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) replication, bacterial and fungal growth. WPE showed free radical scavenging capacity and inhibited superoxide anion formation in a dose-dependent manner. These effects could be attributed to the high content of phenols and flavonoids, which were 0.377 ± 0.01 mg GE/g and 0.292 ± 0.08 mg CE/g, respectively. Moreover, WPE was able to reduce Caco-2 cell viability, at both 48 h and 72 h. The promising results encourage further studies aimed to better elucidate the role of WPE in the prevention of human infectious diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Plant Antimicrobial Substance)
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