Las especias: una alternativa antipatogénica natural

INÉS MOLINA, ROCÍO DANIELA; CAMPOS-SILVA, RODRIGO; DIAZ MYRIAN ANABEL; MACEDO,ALEXANDRE; BLAZQUEZ AMPARO; ALBERTO, MARÍA R; ARENA MARIO EDUARDO

SAN JUAN

Conferencia; XLI Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2023

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Bacterial biofilms pose a challenge in both the food industry and the healthcare sector. The issue lies in the fact that bacteria that thrive in thislifestyle are much more resistant than those in a planktonic state. Consequently, traditional control methods have become ineffective incombating the development of pathogenic microorganisms. Currently, there is a trend towards embracing natural solutions to combatpathogens. Therefore, this study assessed the biological activity against E. coli, S. enterica, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus of spices—coriander,bay laurel, and paprika—cultivated in Argentina. This research demonstrated the non-toxic ability of coriander, bay laurel, and paprika extractsto reduce biofilm biomass formation, inhibit cell viability in pre-formed biofilms, attenuate the swarming motility of the studied pathogens,and interfere with the Quorum Sensing (QS) intercellular communication mechanism. Consequently, these spice extracts offer an alternativefor controlling food contamination and/or deterioration, as well as infectious diseases, by targeting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial biofilms. It is worth noting that the most significant activity observed was anti-biofilm, both in preventing biofilm formation and controlling pre-existing biofilms. The hexane and chloroform extracts were particularly active, especially against S. aureus. The determination of the chemical composition of the most active extracts revealed the predominance of fatty acids such as linoleic, hexadecanoic, oleic and linolenic acids with recognized anti-biofilm activity. Taken together, these results demonstrate that these three Argentine spices have added value beyond their use as seasonings and hold potential for biotechnological applications. The potential application of these extracts or their derived compounds as anti-biofilm agents or for generating anti-adhesive surfaces, in both the food industry and the clinical field, shows promise.