Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1: Models for Evaluating Anti-Quorum Sensing Activity of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil and Its Main Component Terpinen-4-ol
Emira Noumi,
Abderrahmen Merghni,
Mousa M. Alreshidi,
Ons Haddad,
Gültekin Akmadar,
Laura De Martino,
Maha Mastouri,
Ozgur Ceylan,
Mejdi Snoussi,
Abdulbasit Al-sieni,
Vincenzo De Feo
Affiliations
Emira Noumi
Laboratory of Bioressources: Integrative Biology & Recovery, High Institute of Biotechnology-University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Abderrahmen Merghni
Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Mousa M. Alreshidi
Department of Biology, College of Science, Hail, P.O. 2440, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia
Ons Haddad
Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
The problem of antibiotic resistance among pathogens encourages searching for novel active molecules. The aim of the research was to assay the anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) and antibiofilm potential of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil and its main constituent, terpinen-4-ol, to prevent the infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains as an alternate to antibiotics. The tea tree oil (TTO) was evaluated for its potential in inhibiting QS-dependent phenomena such as violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum, swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and biofilm formation in MRSA strains on glass. The results showed that terpinen-4-ol was able to inhibit MRSA strain biofilm formation on the glass strips by 73.70%. TTO inhibited the violacein production at a mean inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.048 mg/mL by 69.3%. At 100 µg/mL TTO and terpinen-4-ol exhibited inhibition in swarming motility of PAO1 by 33.33% and 25%, respectively. TTO revealed anti-QS and anti-biofilm activities at very low concentrations, but it could be further investigated for new molecules useful for the treatment of MRSA infections.
