Search

Red onion skin (Allium cepa var ascalonicum) contains various ingredients that may function as antibacterial agents against microorganisms, as well as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator agents for host cells, such as macrophages. Pseudomonas aeruginosa found in the oral cavity is commensal bacteria that may turn into opportunistic pathogen by utilizing its virulence factors such as motility and adhesion to the host cell. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of red-onion-skin ethanolic extract towards P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027 on the motility and adhesion ability, furthermore, to know its effect on the macrophage phagocytosis. The research was conducted into three parts of experiment using red-onion-skin ethanolic extract. Extract-induced bacterial motility test was carried out on semi-solid media, stained using 0.1% crystal violet, then the radial length of the bacterial movement was measured. The bacterial adhesion index to buccal cells was calculated after incubated for two hours and stained with Gram stain. Phagocytic activity of the host cells on P. aeruginosa was done by exposing the extract to the mouse peritoneal macrophages, then the phagocytosed bacteria were counted after Giemsa staining. Statistical test results from the three experiments showed significant differences between the test groups compared to the control groups (p

Background Ingestion of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) has traditionally been utilized for prevention of urinary tract infections. The proanthocyanidins (PACs) in cranberry, in particular the A-type linkages have been implicated as important inhibitors of primarily P-fimbriated E. coli adhesion to uroepithelial cells. Additional experiments were required to investigate the persistence in urine samples over a broader time period, to determine the most effective dose per day and to determine if the urinary anti-adhesion effect following cranberry is detected within volunteers of different origins. Methods Two separate bioassays (a mannose-resistant hemagglutination assay and an original new human T24 epithelial cell-line assay) have assessed the ex-vivo urinary bacterial anti-adhesion activity on urines samples collected from 32 volunteers from Japan, Hungary, Spain and France in a randomized, double-blind versus placebo study. An in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model was used to evaluate the influence of cranberry regimen on the virulence of E. coli strain. Results The results indicated a significant bacterial anti-adhesion activity in urine samples collected from volunteers that consumed cranberry powder compared to placebo (p < 0.001). This inhibition was clearly dose-dependent, prolonged (until 24 h with 72 mg of PAC) and increasing with the amount of PAC equivalents consumed in each cranberry powder regimen. An in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model showed that cranberry acted against bacterial virulence: E. coli strain presented a reduced ability to kill worms after a growth in urines samples of patients who took cranberry capsules. This effect is particularly important with the regimen of 72 mg of PAC. Conclusions Administration of PAC-standardized cranberry powder at dosages containing 72 mg of PAC per day may offer some protection against bacterial adhesion and virulence in the urinary tract. This effect may offer a nyctohemeral protection.