Pimenta Oil as a Potential Treatment for Acinetobacter baumannii Wound Infection: In Vitro and In Vivo Bioassays in Relation to Its Chemical Composition

Abstract

Bacterial biofilm contributes to antibiotic resistance. Developing antibiofilm agents, more favored from natural origin, is a potential method for treatment of highly virulent multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains; The potential of Pimenta dioica and Pimenta racemosa essential oils (E.Os) antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in relation to their chemical composition, in addition to their ability to treat Acinetobacter baumannii wound infection in mice model were investigated; P. dioica leaf E.O at 0.05 µg·mL−1 efficiently inhibited and eradicated biofilm formed by A. baumannii by 85% and 34%, respectively. Both P. diocia and P. racemosa leaf E.Os showed a bactericidal action against A. baumanii within 6h at 2.08 µg·mL−1. In addition, a significant reduction of A. baumannii microbial load in mice wound infection model was found. Furthermore, gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis revealed qualitative and quantitative differences among P. racemosa and P. dioica leaf and berry E.Os. Monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and phenolics were the major detected classes. β-Myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, and eugenol were the most abundant volatiles. While, sesquiterpenes were found as minor components in Pimenta berries E.O; Our finding suggests the potential antimicrobial activity of Pimenta leaf E.O against MDR A. baumannii wound infections and their underlying mechanism and to be further tested clinically as treatment for MDR A. baumannii infections.

Gram-Negative Bacteria Holding Together in a Biofilm: The Acinetobacter baumannii Way

“…Furthermore, Alves et al, found that linalool, the major oil compound from Coriandrum sativum , inhibited the formation of biofilm and dispersed established biofilms by A. baumannii on several clinically relevant surfaces, both by affecting bacterial adhesion and interfering with the QS system [ 148 ]. Confirming the antibiofilm potential of the essential oils, in another study Ismail et al observed that the essential oil from the leaf of the myrtaceous plant Pimenta dioica at 0.05 µg/mL could efficiently inhibit and eradicate A. baumannii biofilm by 85 and 34%, respectively [ 176 ].…”

Interplay between ESKAPE Pathogens and Immunity in Skin Infections: An Overview of the Major Determinants of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance

“…In vivo models showed that phage-based therapy was successful in containing infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii [ 295 , 296 , 297 ]. Ultraviolet C light, blue light, and pimenta oil have also showed interesting activities in mice models of wound infections caused by A. baumannii [ 298 , 299 , 300 ].…”

Cattleianal and Cattleianone: Two New Meroterpenoids from Psidium cattleianum Leaves and Their Selective Antiproliferative Action against Human Carcinoma Cells

“…Myrtaceous plants exert a myriad of biological activities including anti-diabetic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial biofilm activities [1][2][3]. Psidium cattleianum Sabine (Family Myrtaceae) is a shrub or small tree native to Brazil, where it is known as "araçá" [4].…”