Bacterial Quorum Sensing Inhibition Activity of the Traditional Chinese Herbs, Ficus carica L. and Perilla frutescens.
BACKGROUND
Quorum sensing (QS), as the basis of bacterial cell-to-cell communication, is a promising approach to reduce the incidence of multidrug resistance. The objective of this study was to search for novel quorum sensing inhibitors from plants and control detrimental infections.


METHODS
The crude extracts of Ficus carica and Perilla frutescens were examined for their anti-QS properties. Powdered plant samples were treated sequentially with organic solvents of increasing polarity. The extracts of each solvent were concentrated in vacuo to give crude extracts and tested against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 especially. Anti-QS activity was measured by quantifying violacein production and swarming motility.


RESULTS
All extracts of these two plants display anti-QS ability. Interestingly, the extract of F. carica with dichloromethane and of P. frutescens with MeOH exhibited the most pronounced inhibition of QS activity.


CONCLUSIONS
These two plants can offer bioactive natural products with potential for attenuating pathogens.
Center for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, PR China.
Shiwei
S
Sun
Hui
H
Li
Wanlong
W
Zhou
Ao
A
Liu
Hu
H
Zhu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002861:Chromobacterium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030681:Ficus; D006801:Humans; D031344:Perilla frutescens; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal