The bacteriostatic effect and mechanism of berberine on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vitro

Abstract

Background: To observe the bacteriostatic effect of berberine (BBR) and BBR combined with gentamicin (GEN), levofloxacin (LEV) and amikacin (AMI) on Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), while also exploring the bacteriostatic mechanism of BBR on MRSA. Results: The MICs range of BBR on 26 strains of MRSA was 32-256 µg/mL. BBR combined with GEN, LEV and AMI had obvious bacteriostatic effect on MRSA. After co-culturing MRSA with BBR at 512 µg/mL, 64 µg/mL and 8 µg/mL, respectively, the electrical conductivity increased, compared with the control group, by 8.14%, 13.08% and 12.01%, respectively. Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that low concentration of BBR (8 µg/mL; 1/8 MIC) caused no significant damage to MRSA, and the bacterial structure of MRSA remained intact, while high concentration of BBR (512 µg/mL; 8 MIC) induced the destruction and dissolution of MRSA cell wall structure and the leakage of bacterial contents, leading to bacterial lysis. RNA-sequencing results showed that there were 754 differentially expressed genes in the high concentration group compared with the normal control group. Compared with the low concentration group, there were 590 differentially expressed genes in the high concentration group. Compared with the control group, only 19 genes were differentially expressed in the low concentration group. The up-regulated genes are mainly related to the cell wall hydrolysis regulatory genes, while the down-regulated genes are mainly related to the serine protease family. Conclusions: BBR displayed an excellent bacteriostatic effect on MRSA. BBR combined with GEN and AMI significantly enhanced the bacteriostatic effect on MRSA, while BBR combined with LEV showed no significant change in the bacteriostatic effect on MRSA. BBR inhibited bacteria by destroying and dissolving the structure of MRSA cell wall. RNA-sequencing results further demonstrated that the expression of cell wall hydrolysis genes ssaA, lytM and virulence factor serine protease genes were significantly differentially expressed when high concentration BBR treated on MRSA.

Research progress on the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia by medicinal and edible plants and its bioactive components

“…Berberine (BBR), also known as flavopiridol, is a quaternary ammonium alkaloid isolated from the Chinese medicine Huanglian, which has a wide range of antibacterial activity ( 140 ). It was found that berberine significantly reduced uric acid levels in the blood and feces of HUA rats ( p < 0.05), while blood XOD levels decreased, ABCG2 levels increased and Galectin-9 levels decreased ( 141 ).…”