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Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Quercus infectoria: a candidate for the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections

S Chusri1, S P Voravuthikunchai

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.

Phytotherapy Research : PTR
|March 15, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Plant extracts from Quercus infectoria show potent antibacterial effects against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). These findings highlight Q. infectoria as a potential natural source for novel antimicrobial agents.

Area of Science:

  • Phytochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen, with antibiotic resistance posing a major public health threat.
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections require effective therapeutic strategies.
  • Natural products are a valuable source for discovering new antimicrobial compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of various Quercus infectoria extracts against MRSA and MSSA strains.
  • To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of active extracts.
  • To assess the bactericidal kinetics of Q. infectoria extracts against MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Antibacterial activity was assessed using agar well diffusion assays.
  • MIC and MBC values were determined using broth microdilution methods.
  • Bactericidal kinetics were evaluated by monitoring bacterial growth over time after exposure to different extract concentrations.

Main Results:

  • Acetone, ethyl acetate, 95% ethanol, and aqueous extracts of Q. infectoria exhibited significant antibacterial activity against all tested MRSA and MSSA strains.
  • Inhibition zones ranged from 11.75-16.82 mm.
  • MIC and MBC values were found to be 0.13 mg/mL and 0.13-1.00 mg/mL, respectively.
  • Bacterial growth was inhibited for over 20 hours at 2x MIC, with no surviving MRSA cells detected within 12-14 hours at 4x MIC.

Conclusions:

  • Quercus infectoria extracts possess broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both MRSA and MSSA.
  • The plant extracts demonstrate rapid and potent bactericidal effects.
  • Q. infectoria represents a promising source for developing natural antibacterial agents against Staphylococcal infections.

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