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Antibacterial activity of sphagnum acid and other phenolic compounds found in Sphagnum papillosum against food-borne bacteria
- Source :
- Letters in applied microbiology. 49(1)
- Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Aims: To identify the phenolic compounds in the leaves of Sphagnum papillosum and examine their antibacterial activity at pH appropriate for the undissociated forms. Methods and Results: Bacterial counts of overnight cultures showed that whilst growth of Staphylococcus aureus 50084 was impaired in the presence of milled leaves, the phenol-free fraction of holocellulose of S. papillosum had no bacteriostatic effect. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of an acetone–methanol extract of the leaves detected eight phenolic compounds. Antibacterial activity of the four dominating phenols specific to Sphagnum leaves, when assessed in vitro as minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), were generally >2·5 mg ml−1. MIC values of the Sphagnum-specific compound ‘sphagnum acid’ [p-hydroxy-β-(carboxymethyl)-cinnamic acid] were >5 mg ml−1. No synergistic or antagonistic effects of the four dominating phenols were detected in plate assays. Conclusions: Sphagnum-derived phenolics exhibit antibacterial activity in vitro only at concentrations far in excess of those found in the leaves. Significance and Impact of the Study: We have both identified the phenolic compounds in S. papillosum and assessed their antibacterial activity. Our data indicate that phenolic compounds in isolation are not potent antibacterial agents and we question their potency against food-borne pathogens.
- Subjects :
- Staphylococcus aureus
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
medicine.disease_cause
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Sphagnum
Mass Spectrometry
chemistry.chemical_compound
Phenols
medicine
Sphagnopsida
Food microbiology
Potency
Drug Interactions
Food science
Antibacterial agent
biology
Plant Extracts
biology.organism_classification
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Biochemistry
chemistry
Food Microbiology
Antibacterial activity
Acids
Bacteria
Chromatography, Liquid
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 1472765X
- Volume :
- 49
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Letters in applied microbiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....54d6741f371ecf235ea9514d814bb4c4