Chemical composition and potentiating action of Norfloxacin mediated by the essential oil of Piper caldense C.D.C. against Staphylococcus aureus strains overexpressing efflux pump genes

Abstract

Infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms has increased in the last years. Piper species have been reported as a natural source of phytochemicals that can help in combating fungal and bacterial infections. This study had as objectives characterize the chemical composition of the essential oil from Piper caldense (EOPC), evaluate its potential antimicrobial activity, and investigate the synergistic effect with Norfloxacin against multidrug-resistant S. aureus overproducing efflux pumps, as well as, verify the EOPC ability to inhibit the Candida albicans filamentation. EOPC was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the chemical constituents were identified by gas chromatography, allowing the identification of 24 compounds (91.9%) classified as hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (49.6%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (39.5%). Antimicrobial tests were performed using a 96-well plate microdilution method against C. albicans ATCC 10231, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 standard strains, as well as against multidrug-resistant strains S. aureus SA1199B (overexpressing norA gene), S. aureus K2068 (overexpressing mepA gene) and S. aureus K4100 (overexpressing qacC gene). The oil showed activity against C. albicans ATCC 10231 (≥ 512 µg/mL) and was able to inhibit hyphae formation, an important mechanism of virulence of C. albicans . On the other hand, EOPC was inactive against all bacterial strains tested (≤ 1,024 µg mL). However, when combined with Norfloxacin at subinhibitory concentration EOPC reduced the Norfloxacin and Ethidium bromide MIC values against S. aureus strains SA1199B, K2068 and K4100. These results indicate that EOPC is a source of phytochemicals acting as NorA, MepA and QacC inhibitors.

Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. Fruits against Multidrug-Resistant Strains: Inhibition of Efflux Pumps and β-Lactamase

“…Comparing the present results of the chemical characterization with those presented in the work of Santos Sales et al (2018), studying an essential oil obtained from the same species, it was possible to observe the presence of the same major constituents: β-pinene and α-pinene [ 25 ]. These constituents were also identified in studies investigating other species in the genus, albeit at lower concentrations [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Inhibitory Activity of the Efflux Pump of Essential Oils from Croton piauhiensis Müll.

“…OEPC presented caryophyllene oxide (11.9%) as the main constituent found, followed by δ-cadinene (9.6%) and spathulenol (9.1%). When the oil was combined with norfloxacin and ethidium bromide, it reduced the MIC values against S. aureus strains (SA1199B, K2068 and K4100), acting as inhibitors of NorA, MepA and QacC [49].…”

The Major Facilitator Superfamily and Antimicrobial Resistance Efflux Pumps of the ESKAPEE Pathogen Staphylococcus aureus

“…Various plant-based compounds and essential oils have been shown to increase the susceptibility of the NorA-overexpressing strain of S. aureus to fluoroquinolone antibiotics [89,[138][139][140][141][142][143]. Chalcones are unsaturated ketones that occur naturally in some yellowpigmented flowers, the EPI potential of which has been well documented, particularly against the NorA efflux pump [129,144].…”