A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of α-Viniferin in Staphylococcus aureus – Specific Decolonization without Depleting the Normal Microbiota of Nares

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is currently a significant multidrug-resistant bacterium, causing severe healthcare-associated and community-acquired infections worldwide. The current antibiotic regimen against this pathogen is becoming ineffective due to resistance, in addition, they disrupt the normal microbiota. It highlights the urgent need for a pathogen-specific drug with high antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus. α-Viniferin, a bioactive phytochemical compound, has been reported to have excellent anti-Staphylococcus efficacy as a topical agent. However, so far, there were no clinical trials that have been conducted to elucidate its efficacy. The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial efficacy of α-viniferin against S. aureus in a ten-day clinical trial. Based on the results, α-viniferin showed 50% minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC50 values) of 7.8 μg/ml in culture broth medium. α-Viniferin was administered in the nares three times a day for ten days using a sterile cotton swab stick. Nasal swab specimens were collected before (0 days) and after finishing the trial (10th day), and then analyzed. In the culture and RT-PCR-based analysis, S. ureus was reduced significantly: 0.01. In addition, 16S ribosomal RNA-based amplicon sequencing analysis showed that S. aureus reduced from 51.03% to 23.99% at the genus level. RNA-seq analysis was also done to gain insights into molecular mechanisms of α-viniferin against S. aureus, which revealed that some gene groups were reduced in 5-fold FC cutoff at two times MIC conditions. The study results demonstrate α-viniferin as a potential S. aureus-specific drug candidate.

A novel class of antimicrobial drugs selectively targets a Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE-PGRS protein

“…This animal experiment was conducted with the approval of the IACUC of the Soonchunhyang University (approval number: SCH21-0011). Microbiome analysis of collected feces was carried out as previously described [ 41 ] with some modifications. Total DNA was extracted from the stool using the QIAamp DNA stool mini kit (Qiagen, Germany) after mechanical disruption using lysing matrix B tubes (MP Biomedicals, USA).…”

Increased Susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Ethionamide by Expressing PPs-Induced Rv0560c

“…Microarray experiments with drugs in M. tuberculosis were performed according to previously reported methods [ 19 ]. First, RNA was extracted from M. tuberculosis with an RNAprotect Bacteria Reagent kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany).…”

An Assessment of the In Vitro Models and Clinical Trials Related to the Antimicrobial Activities of Phytochemicals

“…Specifically, Rahim et al examined the antibacterial efficacy of alpha-viniferin against S. aureus in a ten-day clinical trial [ 93 ]. The study enrolled 20 Korean adult females aged between 20 and 60 years with overall good health and physical fitness and the willingness to avoid topical agents applied to the nares during the entire trial.…”

“…Healthcare professionals gathered nare samples on day 0 and day 10. On days 0, 4, and 8 of the study, the skin moisture content of each participant was assessed using a corneometer [ 93 ]. The corneometer measurement was carried out five times on each measurement day at the same location and in the same manner, with the same temperature and humidity, and the average result was immediately recorded.…”

“…The corneometer measurement was carried out five times on each measurement day at the same location and in the same manner, with the same temperature and humidity, and the average result was immediately recorded. The samples were then examined to determine the moisturizing ability of alpha-viniferin since the moisturizing ability is important for maintaining the skin barrier [ 93 ]. The nasal isolates obtained from the patients were then used to assess the antibacterial activity of alpha-viniferin.…”