title: Antibacterial potential of northeastern Portugal wild plant extracts and respective phenolic compounds.
abstract: The present work aims to assess the antibacterial potential of phenolic extracts, recovered from plants obtained on the North East of Portugal, and of their phenolic compounds (ellagic, caffeic, and gallic acids, quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin), against bacteria commonly found on skin infections. The disk diffusion and the susceptibility assays were used to identify the most active extracts and phenolic compounds. The effect of selected phenolic compounds on animal cells was assessed by determination of cellular metabolic activity. Gallic acid had a higher activity, against gram-positive (S. epidermidis and S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (K. pneumoniae) at lower concentrations, than the other compounds. The caffeic acid, also, showed good antibacterial activity against the 3 bacteria used. The gallic acid was effective against the 3 bacteria without causing harm to the animal cells. Gallic and caffeic acid showed a promising applicability as antibacterial agents for the treatment of infected wounds.
authors.affiliation: CEB, Centre for Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal ; Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0321-9089
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.affiliation: CIMO/School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel C F R
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: CIMO/School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: CIMO/School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Graça
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: CEB, Centre for Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henriques
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D019800:Phenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011174:Portugal; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002109:Caffeic Acids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019800:Phenol; D005707:Gallic Acid; C040048:caffeic acid