Antimicrobial activity of crude extracts from mangrove fungal endophytes

The aim of this work was to select endophytic fungi from mangrove plants that produced antimicrobial substances. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) or minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFC) of crude extracts from 150 isolates were determined against potential human pathogens by a colorimetric microdilution method. Ninety-two isolates (61.3%) produced inhibitory compounds. Most of the extracts (28–32%) inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (MIC/MBC 4–200/64–200 μg ml⁻¹). Only two extracts inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC/MBC 200/>200 μg ml⁻¹). 25.5 and 11.7% inhibited Microsporum gypseum and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC/MFC 4–200/8–200 μg ml⁻¹ and 8–200/8–200 μg ml⁻¹, respectively), while 7.5% were active against Candida albicans (MIC/MFC 32–200/32–200 μg ml⁻¹). None of the extracts inhibited Escherichia coli. The most active fungal extracts were from six genera, Acremonium, Diaporthe, Hypoxylon, Pestalotiopsis, Phomopsis, and Xylaria as identified using morphological and molecular methods. Phomopsis sp. MA194 (GU592007, GU592018) isolated from Rhizophora apiculata showed the broadest antimicrobial spectrum with low MIC values of 8–32 μg ml⁻¹against Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts and M. gypseum. It was concluded that endophytic fungi from mangrove plants are diverse, many produce compounds with antimicrobial activity and could be suitable sources of new antimicrobial natural products.     

Antimicrobial activity of Enterococcus faecium against Listeria spp.

Listeria spp. have been isolated from vegetation, silage, the intestinal tracts of animals and foods such as milk and cheese. Lisleria spp. are taxonomically related to lactobacilli (Seeliger & Jones 1986) and some bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria will inhibit growth of Listeria spp. Bacteriocins such as nisin from Lactococcus lactis and pediocin A from Pediococcus pentosoreus, are active against microorganisms from several Gram-positive genera, and will inhibit L. monocytogenes. Bacteriocins (e.g. helveticin J and lactacin F) which only inhibit strains closely related to the producing micro-organism are not effective against L. monocytogenes     

Antibacterial activity of Citrus reticulata peel extracts

Citrus peels were successively extracted with hexane, chloroform and acetone using a soxhlet extractor. The hexane and chloroform extracts were fractionated into alcohol-soluble and alcohol-insoluble fractions. These fractions were tested against different gram positive and gram negative bacteria. The EtOH-soluble fraction was found to be most effective. Fractionation of EtOH-soluble fraction on silica gel column yielded three polymethoxylated flavones, namely desmethylnobiletin, nobiletin and tangeretin. Their structures were confirmed by UV, 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectral studies. The findings indicated a potential of these natural compounds as biopreservatives in food applications.     

6,7-Dimethoxycoumarin in the peels of Citrus

6,7-Dimethoxycoumarin was isolated and identified from the peels of Citrus sinensis cv. Pineapple orange, of C. paradisi x C. paradisi x C. reticulata cv. Wekiwa and of C. mitis cv. Clamondin. The coumarin was tentatively identified in two other sweet oranges, C. sinensis cv. Mediterranean Sweet and Waite Parson Brown, and in C. aurantifolia cv. West Indian lime and in C. aurantium cv. Bitter Sweet orange.     

Antimicrobial activity of Pseudomonas spp. against food poisoning bacteria and moulds

M.H. LAINE, M.T. KARWOSKI, L.B. RAASKA AND T.-M. MATTILA-SANDHOLM. 1996. The present study demonstrates the siderophore production of two strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens and two of Ps. chlororaphis . The antimicrobial activities of these strains were studied against Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Fusarium culmorum, F. oxysporum and Aspergillus niger . Despite equal siderophore activities with various Pseudomonas spp. as measured by the chrome azurol S assay, the study shows how siderophore activity does not correlate with the antibacterial activity against food pathogens or with the antimould activity against pathogenic moulds. Furthermore, the results illustrate how siderophores are able to act both as growth inhibitors and stimulators.     

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and other plant extracts

The antimicrobial activity of plant oils and extracts has been recognized for many years. However, few investigations have compared large numbers of oils and extracts using methods that are directly comparable. In the present study, 52 plant oils and extracts were investigated for activity against Acinetobacter baumanii, Aeromonas veronii biogroup sobria, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia col, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype typhimurium, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus, using an agar dilution method. Lemongrass, oregano and bay inhibited all organisms at concentrations of < or = 2.0% (v/v). Six oils did not inhibit any organisms at the highest concentration, which was 2.0% (v/v) oil for apricot kernel, evening primrose, macadamia, pumpkin, sage and sweet almond. Variable activity was recorded for the remaining oils. Twenty of the plant oils and extracts were investigated, using a broth microdilution method, for activity against C. albicans, Staph. aureus and E. coli. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations were 0.03% (v/v) thyme oil against C. albicans and E. coli and 0.008% (v/v) vetiver oil against Staph. aureus. These results support the notion that plant essential oils and extracts may have a role as pharmaceuticals and preservatives.     

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of Aeromonas spp. isolated from environmental sources

Aeromonas spp. are ubiquitous aquatic bacteria that cause serious infections in both poikilothermic and endothermic animals, including humans. Clinical isolates have shown an increasing incidence of antibiotic and antimicrobial drug resistance since the widespread use of antibiotics began. A total of 282 Aeromonas pure cultures were isolated from both urban and rural playa lakes in the vicinity of Lubbock, Texas, and several rivers in West Texas and New Mexico. Of these, at least 104 were subsequently confirmed to be independent isolates. The 104 isolates were identified by Biolog and belonged to 11 different species. The MICs of six metals, one metalloid, five antibiotics, and two antimicrobial drugs were determined. All aeromonads were sensitive to chromate, cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, cefuroxime, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, ofloxacin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole. Low incidences of trimethoprim resistance, mercury resistance, and arsenite resistance were found. Dual resistances were found in 5 of the 104 Aeromonas isolates. Greater numbers of resistant isolates were obtained from samples taken in March versus July 2002 and from sediment versus water. Plasmids were isolated from selected strains of the arsenite- and mercury-resistant organisms and were transformed into Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MRF'. Acquisition of the resistance phenotypes by the new host showed that these resistance genes were carried on the plasmids. Mercury resistance was found to be encoded on a conjugative plasmid. Despite the low incidence of resistant isolates, the six playa lakes and three rivers that were sampled in this study can be considered a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes.     

Antimicrobial activity of isocytisoside and extracts of Aquilegia vulgaris L

AIMS: The aim of this study was to analyse the antimicrobial properties extracts of Aquilegia vulgaris, and their principial flavonoid component and to compare the obtained results with the activity of gentamicin and nystatin. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ethanol, acetone and isopropanol extracts as well as the subextracts isolated from the methanol extract together with the main flavonoid: 4'-methoxy-5,7-dihydroxyflavone 6-C-glucoside (isocytisoside) were obtained from the leaves with stems of Aquilegia vulgaris L. All the extracts were analysed by TLC to confirm flavonoids and phenolic acids occurrence. The antimicrobial activity was tested by the method of series dilutions against different Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and also fungi. The results have shown that the extracts, subextracts and isocytisoside inhibit growth of all studied micro-organisms, revealing the greatest activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Staph. epidermidis and the mould Aspergillus niger. CONCLUSIONS: The antimicrobial activity of the tested materials it is possibly related to the content of isocytisoside. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study has determined new activity of A. vulgaris and suggested the necessity of further studies.     

Antimicrobial resistance of Listeria spp. recovered from processed bison

AIMS: The current study examined the antimicrobial susceptibility of 86 Listeria spp. isolated from processed bison carcasses. MATERIALS AND METhods: Susceptibility to 25 antimicrobial agents was determined using E-test and National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) panels. Most Listeria isolates (88-98%) exhibited resistance to bacitracin, oxacillin, cefotaxime, and fosfomycin. Resistance to tetracycline (18.6%) was also common. Of the 16 tetracycline-resistant Listeria isolates, 15 carried tetM and 2 contained integrase of Tn1545 transposons. Rifampicin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were the most active antimicrobial agents against Listeria spp., with a MIC(90) of 0.38 microg ml(-1). Ampicillin, erythromycin, penicillin, gentamicin, and tobramycin also exhibited good activity against Listeria spp., with MIC(90) not exceeding 1 microg ml(-1). Differences in resistance among Listeria spp. was displayed, as Listeria innocua strains were more resistant than other Listeria species. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that Listeria monocytogenes strains from bison were susceptible to the antibiotics most commonly used to treat human listeriosis. However, the presence of antimicrobial resistance in L. innocua indicates the potential for transfer of resistance and a conjugative transposon to L. monocytogenes. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The findings of our study will provide useful information for the development of public health policy in the use of antimicrobials in food animal production.     

Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Aeromonas spp. Isolated from Environmental Sources

Aeromonas spp. are ubiquitous aquatic bacteria that cause serious infections in both poikilothermic and endothermic animals, including humans. Clinical isolates have shown an increasing incidence of antibiotic and antimicrobial drug resistance since the widespread use of antibiotics began. A total of 282 Aeromonas pure cultures were isolated from both urban and rural playa lakes in the vicinity of Lubbock, Texas, and several rivers in West Texas and New Mexico. Of these, at least 104 were subsequently confirmed to be independent isolates. The 104 isolates were identified by Biolog and belonged to 11 different species. The MICs of six metals, one metalloid, five antibiotics, and two antimicrobial drugs were determined. All aeromonads were sensitive to chromate, cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, cefuroxime, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, ofloxacin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole. Low incidences of trimethoprim resistance, mercury resistance, and arsenite resistance were found. Dual resistances were found in 5 of the 104 Aeromonas isolates. Greater numbers of resistant isolates were obtained from samples taken in March versus July 2002 and from sediment versus water. Plasmids were isolated from selected strains of the arsenite- and mercury-resistant organisms and were transformed into Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MRF′. Acquisition of the resistance phenotypes by the new host showed that these resistance genes were carried on the plasmids. Mercury resistance was found to be encoded on a conjugative plasmid. Despite the low incidence of resistant isolates, the six playa lakes and three rivers that were sampled in this study can be considered a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes.     

Antimicrobial activity of various extracts and carvacrol from Lippia multiflora leaf extract

This study examines the antimicrobial activity of the hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts of Lippia multiflora and carvacrol isolated from the hexane extract. The result shows the hexane extract to be the most active, while the methanol extract exhibited no antimicrobial activity. The isolated carvacrol from the hexane fraction showed tremendous antimicrobial activity. These results confirm the traditional uses of Lippia multiflora in the treatment of disease conditions due to microbes.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidative activity of extracts and essential oils of Myrtus communis L.

Since synthetic antimicrobial agents and food additives can cause a number of adverse effects, there is a growing interest from consumers in ingredients from natural sources. Medicinal plants, such as Myrtus communis L. are a source of new compounds which can be used in both the food industry and for medical purposes, primarily as antimicrobial agents. In this review, the characteristics of myrtle essential oils and extracts are summarized, with particular attention to their chemical composition, biological activities and potential applications.     

Antimicrobial activity of crude extracts from plant parts and corresponding calli of Bixa orellana L

Ethanol extracts from the different parts of B. orellana showed differential antimicrobial activity. It was found that the extracts of in vitro leaves showed maximum activity against Bacillus pumilus followed by the extracts from the roots and hypocotyls. The callus derived from different explants too showed antimicrobial activity. The leaf callus showed maximum activity. The zone of inhibition for the diluted extracts of in vitro hypocotyls and roots and their corresponding calli showed minimum zone of inhibition at concentration 24 mg/ml, whereas the diluted extract of in vitro leaves and leaf derived callus showed minimum zone of inhibition at 16 mg/ml.     

Antimicrobial resistance ofEnterococcus spp. isolates from raw beef and meat products

E. faecalis (67%) and E. faecium (13.7%) were most frequently isolated among enterococci that contaminate cooled and frozen processed meat, follow-up heat-treated meat products and unheated fermented dry salami. Most isolates of both species were resistant to cephalothin (95 and 83 %) and clindamycin (77 and 67%, respectively). Furthermore, E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates were resistant to erythromycin (44 and 72%), tetracycline (34.5 and 17.4%), and streptomycin (13.3 and 4.3%, respectively). Only a few of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, chloramphenicol, and vancomycin while all isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, penicillin, and teicoplanin. During the production of heat-treated meat products, numbers of resistant isolates increased in spite of the decreasing enterococcal contamination of the samples. An opposite situation was found in the production of fermented dry salami.     

Antimicrobial activity of shredded carrot extracts on food-borne bacteria and yeast

Purified ethanolic extracts of peeled and shredded carrots showed an antimicrobial effect against a range of food-borne micro-organisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration, expressed as mg ml^-1 dried carrot material used for the extraction were: Leuconostoc mesenteroides , 27; Listeria monocytogenes , >27 <55; Staphylococcus aureus , >27 <55; Pseudomonas fluorescens , >55 <110; Candida lambica , >55 < 110; Escherichia coli , > 110 <220. The antimicrobial activity was not linked to phenolic compounds but was presumably due to apolar components. Free saturated fatty acid (dodecanoic acid) and methyl esters of saturated fatty acids (of dodecanoic and pentadecanoic acids) were identified in purified active extracts of carrots by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and could be responsible for the antimicrobial activity. This effect did not seem to play a role in the resistance of shredded carrots to microbial spoilage, although the antimicrobial activity was present in fresh carrots at concentrations sufficient to inhibit spoilage bacteria.     

Antimicrobial activity of organic extracts isolated from Aplysina fistularis (Demospongiae: Aplysinidae)

Organic extracts of the sponge Aplysina fistularis (Pallas 1766) were tested for antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and toxic activity of extract were determined. Susceptibility trials of organic fractions obtained by VLC: Hexane, EtOAc and CHCl3 showed that EtOAc fraction has antibacterial activity against E. coli, while CHCl3 fraction inhibited E. coli and S. aureus growth. The later refractioning of EtOAc fraction and the biodirected assays showed that fractions F12 and F13 of EtOAc/Hex and EtOAc F14 were bioactive against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Only EtOAc/MeOH Sf2 from subfractionig of EtOAc F14 produced inhibition for E. coli and S. aureus. In Sf2 EtOAc/MeOH, MIC was moderate for S. aureus (MIC > 256 g/ml). F4 CHCl3/MeOH produced a high inhibition in S. aureus (MIC = 0.125 g/ml) and for E. coli (MIC > 16 g/ml). F10 CHCl3/MeOH showed a moderate activity against S. aureus (MIC > 128 g/ml) and low activity against E. coli (MIC = 512 g/ml). F10 CHCL3/MeOH did no present toxic activity against Artemia salina. The fractiorts F4 CHCL3/MeOH and Sf2 EtOAc/MeOH were toxic for this organism when the concentration was higher than 100 microg/ml. LC50 in both cases was 548.4 and 243.4 microg/ml respectively. Secondary metabolites of medium polarity obtained from A. fistularis have a wide spectrum of anti bacterial activity. Toxicity analysis suggests that only F10 CHCL3/MeOH has potential as an antimicrobial agent for clinical use.     

New Pseudomonas spp. Are Pathogenic to Citrus

Five putative novel Pseudomonas species shown to be pathogenic to citrus have been characterized in a screening of 126 Pseudomonas strains isolated from diseased citrus leaves and stems in northern Iran. The 126 strains were studied using a polyphasic approach that included phenotypic characterizations and phylogenetic multilocus sequence analysis. The pathogenicity of these strains against 3 cultivars of citrus is demonstrated in greenhouse and field studies. The strains were initially grouped phenotypically and by their partial rpoD gene sequences into 11 coherent groups in the Pseudomonas fluorescens phylogenetic lineage. Fifty-three strains that are representatives of the 11 groups were selected and analyzed by partial sequencing of their 16S rRNA and gyrB genes. The individual and concatenated partial sequences of the three genes were used to construct the corresponding phylogenetic trees. The majority of the strains were identified at the species level: P. lurida (5 strains), P. monteilii (2 strains), P. moraviensis (1 strain), P. orientalis (16 strains), P. simiae (7 strains), P. syringae (46 strains, distributed phylogenetically in at least 5 pathovars), and P. viridiflava (2 strains). This is the first report of pathogenicity on citrus of P. orientalis, P. simiae, P. lurida, P. moraviensis and P. monteilii strains. The remaining 47 strains that could not be identified at the species level are considered representatives of at least 5 putative novel Pseudomonas species that are not yet described.     

Antimicrobial activities of some Bacillus spp. strains isolated from the soil

In this study a total of 29 Bacillus species isolated from the soil was analyzed using the agar diffusion method in terms of their general inhibition effects to some test bacteria. It has been found that isolates are effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria whereas their extensive inhibition effect is particularly against gram-positive bacteria. On the other hand, B. cereus M15 strain has an inhibitory effect against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore some isolates are more effective against test bacteria when compared to some antibiotics.