Bioactivity and application of plant seeds’ extracts to fight resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a highly dangerous pathogen that causes lots of health problems. The resistant strains to methicillin (MRSA) are dangerously health threatens. Nine plant seeds’ extracts (Alium ampeloprasum, Allium cepa, Brassica juncea, Lycium shawii, Nigella sativa, Ocimum basilicum, Peganum harmala, Phyllanthus emblica and Portulaca oleracea) were evaluated as microbial inhibitor agents against S. aureus isolates, including MRSA strains. The crude extracts of L. shawii and P. emblica seeds proved to be the most active antimicrobials, against the entire S. aureus strains, using both quality and quantity assays for their bactericidal activity. Both L. shawii and P. emblica seeds contained remarkable amounts from active phytochemicals, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, tannins and flavonoids. P. emblica seeds were exceedingly rich sources of phenolic compound and flavonoids. The electron scanning micrographs of S. aureus cells, after exposure to plant seeds’ extracts, showed that bacterial cells were shrunk and became tiny, diminutive and dehydrated after 3 h and the entire cells were fully lysed, exploded or disrupted after 6 h of exposure to P. emblica extract; whereas exposure to L. shawii extract derived treated cells to lyse and combine with each other’s after 3 h then complete cell wall lysis was observed after 6 h of exposure. The applications of plant seeds’ extracts, for textile finishing and ointment formulation, confirmed their efficacy as potent applicable anti-MRSA agents. It may be recommended to apply plant seeds’ extract, e.g. P. emblica and L. shawii, as powerful antibacterial agents for the control of the skin and foodborne pathogenic bacteria, S. aureus, and their resistant MRSA strains. Keywords: Antimicrobial, Mode of action, Phytochemicals, Plant extracts, Practical uses