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Antibacterial activity of South African plants used for medicinal purposes.
J Ethnopharmacol. 1997 Mar;56(1):81-7. Rabe T, van Staden J.
Crude extracts from 21 South African medicinal plants, traditionally used for ailments of an infectious or septic nature, were screened for in vitro antibacterial activity using the agar diffusion and dilution methods. Almost all the activity exhibited was against Grampositive bacteria, with 12 of the 21 plant species tested showing some activity against Bacillus subtilis. Only the Warburgia salutaris methanol extract inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli. None of the extracts had any activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. The highest activity was found in the methanol extracts from Bidens pilosa, Psidium guajava, Artemisia afra and Warburgia salutaris. The majority of the antibacterial activity was present in the methanolic, rather than the aqueous extracts.
Isolation of an antibacterial sesquiterpenoid from Warburgia salutaris.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Nov;73(1-2):171-4. Rabe T, van Staden J.
The bark of Warburgia salutaris is used in traditional medicine as an expectorant and smoked for coughs and colds, including a topical application for sores and inflammation. A previous screening of South African medicinal plants showed that this plant had promising antibacterial activity. Subsequently, this endangered tree species was selected for bioassay-guided fractionation in order to identify the active principles. Fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark by chromatographic techniques yielded a sesquiterpenoid
which exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The compound, muzigadial, has previously been reported in two other Warburgia species, this being the first time it has been reported from W. salutaris. Muzigadial had minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 12.5 to 100 microg ml(-1).
Antibacterial activity of polygodial.
Phytother Res. 2005 Dec;19(12):1013-7. Kubo I, Fujita K, Lee SH, Ha TJ.
Polygodial was found to possess moderate antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli and Salmonella choleraesuis with minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of 100 and 100 microg/mL (0.34 mm) and 100 and 50 microg/mL, respectively. The time kill curve study showed that polygodial was bactericidal against B. subtilis and S. choleraesuis. However, there was a difference in its bactericidal action against endosporeforming B. subtilis and food-borne S. choleraesuis.
Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activities of the fruit of Foeniculum vulgare.
Fitoterapia. 2004 Sep;75(6):557-65. Choi EM, Hwang JK.
Oral administration (200 mg/kg) of Foeniculum vulgare fruit methanolic extract exhibited inhibitory effects against acute and subacute inflammatory diseases and type IV allergic reactions and showed a central analgesic effect. Moreover, it significantly increased the plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and the high density lipoprotein-cholesterol level. On the contrary, the
malondialdehyde (MDA) (as a measure of lipid peroxidation) level was significantly decreased in F. vulgare fruit methanolic extract group compared to the control group (P<0.05). These results seems to support the use of F. vulgare fruit methanolic extract in relieving inflammation.
Chemical compositions and antibacterial effects of essential oils of Turkish oregano (Origanum minutiflorum), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) on common foodborne pathogens.
J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Dec 29;52(26):8255-60. Dadalioglu I, Evrendilek GA.
Chemical compositions and inhibitory effects of essential oils of Turkish oregano (Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P. H. Davis), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas L.), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) on Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus were determined. After the
essential oils were applied on the foodborne pathogens at doses of 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 80 microL/mL, the resultant numbers of cells surviving were counted. Results revealed that all essential oils exhibited a very strong antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria (P < 0.05). Gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry analyses revealed that carvacrol (68.23%), 1,8-cineole (60.72%), fenchone (55.79%), and trans-anethole (85.63%) were the predominant constituents in Turkish oregano, bay laurel, Spanish lavender, and fennel essential oils, respectively.
Possible mechanism(s) for relaxant effects of Foeniculum vulgare on guinea pig tracheal chains.
Pharmazie. 2004 Jul;59(7):561-4. Boskabady MH, Khatami A, Nazari A.
In a previous study the relaxant (bronchodilatory) effect of Foeniculum vulgare on isolated guinea pig tracheal chains was demonstrated. To study mechanisms responsible for this effect the present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of this plant on contracted tracheal chains of guinea pig. The relaxant effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts and an essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare were compared to negative controls (saline for aqueous extract and essential oil and ethanol for ethanol extract) and a positive control (diltiazem) using isolated tracheal chains of the guinea pig precontracted by 10 microM methacholine (group 1) and 60 mM KCl (group 2, n = 7 for each group). In the group 1 experiments, diltiazem, ethanol extract, and essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare showed a significant relaxant effect on methacholine-induced contraction of tracheal chains compared to those of negative controls (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001).
In addition the effect of the ethanol extract was significantly greater than that of diltiazem (p < 0.001). However, the aqueous extract did not show any relaxant effect in group 1. In the group 2 experiments, only diltiazem showed a significant relaxant effect on KCl induced contraction of tracheal chains (p < 0.001). The relaxant effects of ethanol extracts and essential oil obtained in the group 2 experiments were significantly lower than those in group 1 (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). These results confirm the bronchodilatory effects of ethanol extract and essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare. However with regard to the effect of KCl on calcium channels, the results indicated that the inhibitory effect of ethanol extracts and essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare on calcium channels is not contributing to their relaxant (bronchodilatory) effects on guinea pig tracheal chains. However the results suggest a potassium channel opening effect for this plant, which may contribute to its relaxant effect on guinea pig tracheal chains.
Inhibitory activity of cranberry juice on adherence of type 1 and type P fimbriated Escherichia coli to eucaryotic cells.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1989 January; 33(1): 92–98. D Zafriri, I Ofek, R Adar, M Pocino, and N Sharon.
Inhibition of bacterial adherence to bladder cells has been assumed to account for the beneficial action ascribed to cranberry juice and cranberry juice cocktail in the prevention of urinary tract infections (A. E. Sobota, J. Urol. 131:1013-1016, 1984). We have examined the effect of the cocktail and juice on the adherence of Escherichia coli expressing surface lectins of defined sugar specificity to yeasts, tissue culture cells, erythrocytes, and mouse peritoneal macrophages. Cranberry juice cocktail inhibited the adherence of urinary isolates expressing type 1 fimbriae (mannose specific) and P fimbriae [specific for alpha-D-Gal(1----4)-beta-D-Gal] but had no effect on a diarrheal isolate expressing a CFA/I adhesin. The cocktail also inhibited yeast agglutination by purified type 1 fimbriae. The inhibitory activity for type 1 fimbriated E. coli was dialyzable and could be ascribed to the fructose present in the cocktail; this sugar was about 1/10 as active as methyl alpha-D-mannoside in inhibiting the adherence of type 1 fimbriated bacteria. The inhibitory activity for the P fimbriated bacteria was nondialyzable and was detected only after preincubation of the bacteria with the cocktail. Cranberry juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice also inhibited adherence of type 1 fimbriated E. coli, most likely because of their fructose content. However, the two latter juices did not inhibit the P fimbriated bacteria. We conclude that cranberry juice contains at least two inhibitors of lectin-mediated adherence of uropathogens to eucaryotic cells. Further studies are required to establish whether these inhibitors play a role in vivo.
Nutritional therapy and infectious diseases: a two-edged sword.
Nutr J. 2006; 5: 21. Haig Donabedian.
The benefits and risks of nutritional therapies in the prevention and management of infectious diseases in the developed world are reviewed. There is strong evidence that early enteral feeding of patients prevents infections in a variety of traumatic and surgical illnesses. There is, however, little support for similar early feeding in medical illnesses. Parenteral nutrition increases the risk of infection when compared to enteral feeding or delayed nutrition. The use of gastric feedings appears to be as safe and effective as small bowel feedings. Dietary supplementation with glutamine appears to lower the risk of post-surgical infections and the ingestion
of cranberry products has value in preventing urinary tract infections in women.
Randomised trial of cranberry-lingonberry juice and Lactobacillus GG drink for the prevention of urinary tract infections in women.
BMJ. 2001 Jun 30;322(7302):1571. Kontiokari T, Sunqvist K, Nuutinen M, Pokka T, Koskela M, Uhati M.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether recurrences of urinary tract infection can be prevented with cranberry-lingonberry juice or with Lactobacillus GG drink. Design: Open, randomised controlled 12 month follow-up trial. SETTING: Health centres for university students and staff of university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 150 women with urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli randomly allocated into three groups. Interventions: 50 ml of cranberry-lingonberry juice concentrate daily for six months or 100 ml of lactobacillus drink five days a week for one year, or no intervention. Main outcome measure: First recurrence of symptomatic urinary tract infection, defined as bacterial growth >/=10(5) colony forming units/ml in a clean voided midstream urine specimen. RESULTS: The cumulative rate of first recurrence of urinary tract infection during the 12 month follow-up differed significantly between the groups (P=0.048). At six months, eight (16%) women in the cranberry group, 19 (39%) in the lactobacillus group, and 18 (36%) in the control group had had at least one recurrence. This is a 20% reduction in absolute risk in the cranberry group compared with the control group (95% confidence interval 3% to 36%, P=0.023, number needed to treat=5, 95% confidence interval 3 to 34). CONCLUSION: Regular drinking of cranberry juice but not lactobacillus seems to reduce the recurrence of urinary tract infection.
Biosafety, Antioxidant Status, and Metabolites in Urine after Consumption of Dried Cranberry Juice in Healthy Women: A Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.
J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Mar 24. Valentova K, Stejskal D, Bednar P, Vostalova J, Cihalik C, Vecerova R, Koukalova D, Kolar M, Reichenbach R, Sknouril L, Ulrichova
J, Simanek V.
This study assessed the effect of an 8-week consumption of dried cranberry juice (DCJ) on 65 healthy young women. Basic biochemical and hematological parameters, antioxidant status, presence of metabolites in urine, and urine ex vivo antiadherence activity were determined throughout the trial. A 400 mg amount of DCJ/day had no influence on any parameter tested. A 1200 mg amount of DCJ/day resulted in a statistically significant decrease in serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products. This specific protective effect against oxidative damage of proteins is described here for the first time. Urine samples had an inhibitory effect on the adhesion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, but no increase in urine acidity was noted. Hippuric acid, isomers of salicyluric and dihydroxybenzoic acids, and quercetin glucuronide were identified as the main metabolites. In conclusion, cranberry fruits are effective not only in the prevention of urinary tract infection but also for the prevention of oxidative stress.
Reduction of Escherichia coli adherence to uroepithelial bladder cells after consumption of cranberry juice: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial.
World J Urol. 2006 Feb;24(1):21-7. Epub 2006 Jan 6. Di Martino P, Agniel R, David K, Templer C, Gaillard JL, Denys P, Botto H.
To determine the efficacy of the consumption of cranberry juice versus placebo with regard to the presence of in vitro bacterial antiadherence activity in the urine of healthy volunteers. Twenty healthy volunteers, 10 men and 10 women, were included. The study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, and cross-over study. In addition to normal diet, each volunteer received at
dinner a single dose of 750 ml of a total drink composed of: (1) 250 ml of the placebo and 500 ml of mineral water, or (2) 750 ml of the placebo, or (3) 250 ml of the cranberry juice and 500 ml of mineral water, or (4) 750 ml of the cranberry juice. Each volunteer took the four regimens successively in a randomly order, with a washout period of at least 6 days between every change in regimen. The first urine of the morning following cranberry or placebo consumption was collected and used to support bacterial growth. Six uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains (all expressing type 1 pili; three positive for the gene marker for P-fimbriae papC and three negative for papC), previously isolated from patients with symptomatic urinary tract infections, were grown in urine samples and tested for their ability to adhere to the T24 bladder cell line in vitro. There were no significant differences in the pH or specific gravity
between the urine samples collected after cranberry or placebo consumption. We observed a dose-dependent significant decrease in bacterial adherence associated with cranberry consumption. Adherence inhibition was observed independently from the presence of genes encoding type P pili and antibiotic resistance phenotypes. Cranberry juice consumption provides significant anti-adherence activity against different E. coli uropathogenic strains in the urine compared with placebo.
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