Synergistic effect of starch and royal jelly against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the synergistic action of starch on the antibacterial activity of royal jelly (RJ), a comparative method of adding RJ with and without starch to culture media was used.


METHODS
Strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli have been used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of a variety of freshly reaped RJ. In a second step, lower concentrations of RJ than the MIC were incubated with a set of concentrations of starch and then were added to media to determine the minimum synergistic inhibitory concentration.


RESULTS
The MIC of RJ without starch was 1.7% (vol/vol) and 2% (vol/vol) against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. When starch was incubated with RJ and then added to media, a significant MIC drop has been noticed against both strains. This MIC drop was 61% and 30% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The effectiveness of RJ against bacteria has been extensively reviewed, but this bee product remains unaffordable in most countries. Our findings suggest that combined mixture of RJ and starch could be used to treat infections that are resistant to conventional drugs, at a lower cost.
Boukraâ
Laïd
L
Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agro-Veterinary Sciences, Ibn-Khaldun University of Tiaret, Tiaret, Algeria. laid_bouk@hotmail.com
Meslem
Abdelmalek
A
Benhanifia
Mokhtar
M
Hammoudi
Si Mohamed
SM
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001516:Bees; D003470:Culture Media; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013213:Starch / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000099219:Royal Jelly
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013213:Starch; D000099219:Royal Jelly