Ethnopharmacological communicationQuercus cerris extracts limit Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceQuercus cerris L., Fagaceae has been used in traditional Mediterranean medicine for numerous purposes, including anti-infective therapies for diarrhea and wound care.Aim of the studyTo evaluate the anti-staphylococcal activity of fractions of ethanolic extracts of Quercus cerris leaf and stem/fruit samples in models for biofilm and growth inhibition.Materials and methodsEthanolic extracts of Quercus cerris leaves and stems/fruits were prepared, resuspended in water and fractioned by successively partitioning with hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol. The ability of the fractions to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation was tested using static crystal violet staining methods and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Growth studies were conducted to determine if the diminished capacity to form a biofilm was related to growth inhibition.ResultsThe butanol extracts of both the leaf and stem/fruit samples were the most active, and at a dose of 200 μg/ml, the capacity to form a biofilm was limited to a level equivalent to that of the sarA mutant controls. Further examination of the impact of these fractions on Staphylococcus aureus growth revealed that biofilm inhibition by the leaf butanol fraction was due to its bacteriostatic activity. The stem/fruit butanol fraction, however, showed a limited impact on growth, thus demonstrating that biofilm inhibition in this case is not related to the bacteriostatic activity of the extract.ConclusionOur evaluation of a medicinal plant used in Mediterranean ethnotherapies for infectious disease has demonstrated significant activity in the inhibition of staphylococcal biofilm formation with a mechanism unrelated to staphylococcal growth inhibition. These results contribute towards validation of this botanical remedy and form the groundwork for future studies in the search for novel biofilm inhibiting drugs.

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