Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2025
09:18
Assessing the Putative Anticryptococcal Properties of Crude and Clarified Extracts from Mollusks
Published on: December 2, 2022
1.1K
Tamarindus indica Extract as a Promising Antimicrobial and Antivirulence Therapy
Mohamed F Ghaly1, Marzough Aziz Albalawi2, Mahmoud M Bendary3
1Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 29, 2023
Summary
Tamarindus indica ethanolic extract shows potent antimicrobial activity against multi-drug-resistant bacteria. This natural therapy disrupts bacterial cell membranes and enhances antibiotic effectiveness, offering a promising alternative for infection treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Microbiology
- Ethnobotany and Natural Products Chemistry
Background:
- Rising global threat of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
- Medicinal plants, including Tamarindus indica (T. indica), are being re-evaluated for their therapeutic potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the antimicrobial and antivirulence activities of the ethanolic extract of T. indica against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens.
- To identify bioactive compounds and elucidate the mechanism of action of T. indica extract.
Main Methods:
- Antimicrobial activity was assessed using inhibition zones, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC).
- Bioactive compounds were identified using mass spectrometry, thin-layer chromatography, and bio-autographic assays.
- Mechanisms of action were investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular docking; synergistic effects with antibiotics were evaluated using fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI).
Main Results:
- T. indica extract demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against MDR pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with low MIC and MBC values.
- SEM analysis revealed that the extract impairs bacterial cell membrane permeability and induces cell lysis.
- Synergistic effects were observed when combined with conventional antibiotics (FICI < 0.5), and antivirulence activity was noted against bacterial proteases.
Conclusions:
- The ethanolic extract of T. indica possesses promising antimicrobial and antivirulence properties, making it a potential source for new therapeutic agents.
- Identified bioactive compounds include phthalates and phenols, contributing to the extract's efficacy.
- Further development by pharmaceutical companies could lead to novel formulations combining T. indica extract with existing antibiotics.
More Related Videos
08:20Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
6.4K
06:12Using Multiple Light Scattering to Examine the Stability of Phyllanthus emblica L. Extracts Obtained with Different Extraction Methods
Published on: April 14, 2023
679
Related Concept Videos
01:28Antimicrobial Effectiveness
102
The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
102
01:23Antimicrobial Proteins
1.7K
Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
1.7K
01:18Surface Membrane Barriers
1.2K
The skin and mucous membranes serve as the primary line of defense against pathogens by providing both physical and chemical protection. These barriers are essential in preventing the entry and establishment of microbes, thereby maintaining the integrity of the host.
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
1.2K
01:28Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
52
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
52
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
4.2K
Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Such synergistic combinations...
4.2K