Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Potential of Two Palm Species (Syagrus romanzoffiana and Bismarckia nobilis, Arecaceae) against Drug-Resistant Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

The pathogenic microbes are becoming resistant to synthetic drugs, leading to a hazardous situation for human health and putting pressure on pharmaceutical giants to develop natural alternatives as herbal/plant-based medicines. The present in vitro study was therefore conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of two novel palm plants, Syagrus romanzoffiana and Bismarckia nobilis, of the family Arecaceae, against drug-resistant bacterial strains, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The plant parts, such as the leaves, bark, and stems of both palms, were macerated in polar and nonpolar solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol) to determine their antibacterial and antibiofilm potential. The % yield was comparatively more (6.42%) in the methanol crude extract of the stem of S. romanzoffiana, followed by the petroleum ether extract of the leaves of B. nobilis (6.24%). Overall, S. romanzoffiana has shown better results against these DR bacteria, with the highest antibacterial activity, as evidenced by a 26.3±0.33 mm zone of inhibition observed with the methanol stem extract against E. coli. On the contrary, S. romanzoffiana showed better biofilm inhibition activity, with a substantial value of 63.9±1.11% for the chloroform bark extract against the E. coli strain. The promising results suggest that these plants could represent a potential breakthrough against DR pathogens, pending further in vivo investigations.