title: In vitro activity on human gut bacteria of murta leaf extracts (Ugni molinae turcz.), a native plant from Southern Chile.
abstract: Despite the fact that murta infusions have been used to treat gut/urinary infections by native Chileans for centuries, the mechanisms promoting such effects still remain unclear. As a first attempt to unravel these mechanisms, human fecal samples were incubated in a medium containing water extract of murta leaves (ML) and the growth of different bacterial groups was evaluated. Control incubations were made in media containing fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and glucose as a carbon source. Phenolic compounds in the ML extract, likely promoters of bioactivity, were identified by HPLC-DAD-MS(n) . Concentrations (log₁₀ CFU/mL) of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in media containing the extract and FOS were 7.33 ± 0.05/4.95 ± 0.20 and 6.44 ± 0.22/6.05 ± 0.06, respectively. Clostridia, anaerobes and Enterobacteriaceae grew to a similar extent in media containing murta extract and FOS. In vitro tests (disk diffusion) showed that Gram-positive (Bacillus and Paenibacillaceae) and Gram-negative (Enterobacteriaceae) bacteria isolated from fecal samples were sensitive to both water and 50/50 ethanol/water extracts of ML (28.4 μg gallic acid equivalents). At this concentration, the antimicrobial activity of ML extracts was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of penicillin (10 U), whereas the difference between activity of ML extracts and gentamicine (10 μg) was no significant (P > 0.05). No evidence of dependency between the antimicrobial activity of ML extracts and the enzymatic capability of the sensitive strains was found.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Chemical Engineering and Technology and Process Unit at Agro-aquaculture Genomic Center, Univ de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile. cshene@ufro.cl
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shene
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Canquil
authors.forename: Milko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jorquera
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinelo
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubilar
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Acevedo
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Baer
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mardones
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002677:Chile; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D005960:Glucosides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D041741:Lower Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D027822:Myrtaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D056692:Prebiotics / Q000032:analysis; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005419:Flavonoids; D005960:Glucosides; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D056692:Prebiotics