Comparison of the antibiofilm activity of plant-derived compounds furanone C30 and ellagic acid C11 with antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Objective: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered one of the leading pathogens responsible for community- and healthcare-associated infections. P. aeruginosa infections are difficult to treat due to antibiotic resistance, various virulence factors, and the capacity to build biofilms, which provide resistance to drugs and immune cells. Antibiotics used to treat biofilm-associated infections over an extended period resulted in the establishment of resistance strains. In this study, we comparatively investigated the efficacy of natural compounds (Furanone-C30 [F], Ellagic-acid C11 [EA], Tobramycin [TOB], Ciprofloxacin [CIP], and Meropenem [MEM]) and antibiotics in inhibiting and eradicating P. aeruginosa biofilm.

Methods: The Minimum Biofilm Inhibition Concentrations (MBIC) and Minimum Biofilm Eradication Concentrations (MBEC) were determined using a micro broth dilution technique, and their effects on the biofilm were evaluated by crystal violet staining and cell viability tests (MTT).

Results: F significantly suppressed P. aeruginosa biofilm formation in a dose-dependent way, with 100% inhibition at 512 and 256 g/mL and 92% inhibition at 128 µg/mL. F also eradicated 92.9% of the biofilm at 512 µg/mL and 90% at 256 µg/mL. EA provided 41.6% biofilm inhibition and 33.1% biofilm eradication at 512 µg/mL.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the natural compounds displayed a dose-dependent effect on P. aeruginosa biofilm, with F being found to be more effective than EA. In conclusion, this study suggests that furanone may hold promise as a natural alternative for the treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilm and highlights the need for further research to support this hypothesis.