title: Effects of ginseng on Pseudomonas aeruginosa motility and biofilm formation.
abstract: Biofilm-associated chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis are virtually impossible to eradicate with antibiotics because biofilm-growing bacteria are highly tolerant to antibiotics and host defense mechanisms. Previously, we found that ginseng treatments protected animal models from developing chronic lung infection by P. aeruginosa. In the present study, the effects of ginseng on the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilms were further investigated in vitro and in vivo. Ginseng aqueous extract at concentrations of 0.5-2.0% did not inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa, but significantly prevented P. aeruginosa from forming biofilm. Exposure to 0.5% ginseng aqueous extract for 24 h destroyed most 7-day-old mature biofilms formed by both mucoid and nonmucoid P. aeruginosa strains. Ginseng treatment enhanced swimming and twitching motility, but reduced swarming of P. aeruginosa at concentrations as low as 0.25%. Oral administration of ginseng extracts in mice promoted phagocytosis of P. aeruginosa PAO1 by airway phagocytes, but did not affect phagocytosis of a PAO1-filM mutant. Our study suggests that ginseng treatment may help to eradicate the biofilm-associated chronic infections caused by P. aeruginosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Baoleri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hengzuang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Givskov
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Høiby
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts