1Onyekwere, U. U., *2Eluu, S. C., 3Eluu, K., 4Aina, T., 5Enyigwe, J. O., 6Okoye, C. S., 2Nwankwo, U. V., 7Burba, R. A., 4Akinbiola, A. B., 8Oke, B., 9Ebem, E. C., and 10Eze, G. O.
1Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, 420110, Agulu, Anambra State, Nigeria
2Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
3Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
4Department of Biomedical Engineering, Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, KM 8.5 Afe Babalola Way, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
5Department of Agricultural Economics, Management and Extension, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
6Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
7Department of Family and Consumer Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Taraba State University Jalingo, Nigeria
8Applied Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
9Department of Biotechnology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
10Department of Scientific and Research Services, David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Uburu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria *Correspondence to: eluustanleychijioke@gmail.com
Abstract:
Background: The increasing prevalence of biofilm-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms has intensified the search for alternative antimicrobial agents. This study investigated the antibiofilm activity of lectins isolated from Treculia africana leaves (TAL), Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL), and Allium sativum bulbs (ASL) against selected clinical bacterial isolates.
Methodology: Lectins were extracted from the three plant parts using modified conventional crude extraction methods. The antibiofilm activities against clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis isolates were evaluated at extract concentrations of 500µg/ml, 100µg/ml and 10µg/ml in a 96-well U-bottom microtitre plates for 4 hours and 24 hours, by biofilm inhibition and quantification assays. The antibiofilm activity, performed in triplicates, was expressed as percentage inhibition, and classified as weak (<40%), moderate (40–60%), or strong (>60%).
Results: The result showed that 500µg/ml TAL lectin extract at 4-hour incubation showed moderate anti-biofilm activity against S. aureus (41% inhibition), but minimal or no activity against other isolates. At 24-hour incubation, TAL extract produced moderate anti-biofilm activity against K. pneumoniae (43%) and B. subtilis (43.3%), with weak activity against S. aureus (19%) and P. aeruginosa (17.3%). MOL lectin extract produced stronger activity than TAL extract, reducing biofilm adhesion at 500µg/ml by 35–66% across all isolates after 4 hours and up to 57% after 24 hours, particularly against K. pneumoniae and B. subtilis. ASL extract produced selective antibi-biofilm activity, mainly against S. aureus (37% at 4 h; 22.3% at 24 h) and P. aeruginosa (42.3% at 24 h), with little or no effect on other isolates. Across all lectins, antibiofilm activity decreased with lower concentrations, and none completely inhibited bacterial adhesion.
Conclusion: The result indicates the promise of these plant-based lectins as a natural agent for controlling biofilmassociated infections.
Keywords: Plant lectins, Antibiofilm, Multidrug-resistant, Moringa oleifera, Treculia africana, Allium sativum
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