title: Effects of saponins against clinical E. coli strains and eukaryotic cell line.
abstract: Saponins are detergent-like substances showing antibacterial as well as anticancer potential. In this study, the effects of saponins from Quillaja saponaria were analyzed against prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Multidrug-resistant clinical E. coli strains were isolated from human urine. As eukaryotic cells, the CHO-K1 cell lines were applied. Antibacterial effect of ampicillin, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin in the presence of saponins was measured by cultivation methods. Properties of saponins against CHO-K1 cells were measured by the MTT test, hemolysis assay and flow cytometry. Saponin from Quillaja saponaria has a cytotoxic effect at concentrations higher than 25 μg/mL and in the range of 12-50 μg/mL significantly increases the level of early apoptotic cells. Saponin at dose of 12 μg/mL enhances the six E. coli strains growth. We postulate that saponins increase the influx of nutrients from the medium into E. coli cells. Saponins do not have synergetic effects on antibacterial action of tested antibiotics. In contrary, in the presence of saponins and antibiotics, more CFU/mL E. coli cells were observed. This effect was similar to saponins action alone towards E. coli cells. In conclusion, saponins was cytotoxic against CHO-K1 cells, whereas against E. coli cells this effect was not observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Kielce, Poland. arabski@ujk.edu.pl
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arabski
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Węgierek-Ciuk
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czerwonka
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lankoff
authors.forename: Wiesław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016466:CHO Cells; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D031990:Quillaja / Q000737:chemistry; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins