Abstract
Background: Infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) remain a global health issue. The population uses several plants from the Cameroonian pharmacopeia to treat bacterial infections. The methanol extract from the aerial parts of Psychotria sycophylla (K.Schum.) Petit (Rubiaceae) (PSA) previously showed antibacterial activities against MDR bacteria. In the present study, the antibacterial activities of PSA were determined in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI), phenylalanine-arginine β-naphthylamide (PAβN). The effects of PSA on the bacterial membrane and its ability to inhibit the bacterial biofilm were also assessed.
Methods: The evaluation of antibacterial activity of PSA in the presence of PAβN was evaluated using the microdilution method. The modification of the bacterial membrane permeability as well as the inhibition of biofilm were evaluated using spectrophotometric methods.
Results: When tested with PAβN, the inhibitory effects of PSA increased vis à vis all the tested bacteria. PSA also destroyed the bacterial membrane and showed significant inhibition of biofilms of Escherichia coli AG102 strain.
Conclusion: The reported data provide complementary information on the antibacterial effect of Psychotria sycophylla and might be helpful in formulating a phytomedicine to combat infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Keywords: Bacteria; modes of action; multidrug resistance; Psychotria sycophylla; Rubiaceae.
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