Garlic: An Alternative Treatment for Group B Streptococcus.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Neonatal infections caused by Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus) remain a significant concern despite current screening and antibiotic prophylaxis strategies.
• Rising antibiotic resistance necessitates the exploration of alternative antimicrobial agents.
• Traditional medicine suggests garlic possesses antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus agalactiae.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and identify compounds from garlic with antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these compounds against clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae.

Main Methods:

• Crude garlic extract (CGE) was fractionated using Sep-Pak 80% (SP80).
• Fractions were analyzed by reverse-phase ultrafast liquid chromatography with UV (RP-UFLC-UV).
• Antimicrobial activity was assessed via microbial growth inhibition tests, bacterial growth curve determination, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Main Results:

• Three active compounds were identified: Ƴ-glutamyl-S-allyl-cysteine, Ƴ-glutamyl-phenylalanine, and ajoene (E and Z isomers).
• These compounds demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae (ATCC 12386) and five clinical isolates.
• Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were determined for the active fractions.

Conclusions:

• Garlic contains compounds with significant antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae.
• These natural compounds represent a promising source for developing new therapeutic strategies against GBS infections.
• Further research into garlic-derived antimicrobials could help combat antibiotic resistance.