Antivirulence effects of pomegranate peel extracts on most common urinary tract infection pathogens in pregnant women

Abstract

Objective This study includes the investigation of antibacterial and antivirulence activities of three types of pomegranate peel extracts and
then determines the interaction between the extracts and antibiotic in vitro.
Methods The ability of most common isolated bacteria from urinary tract infection (UTI) to produce different virulence factors were tested
and the effect of plant extracts on virulence factors were determined; in addition the correlation between extracts and antibiotics were
evaluated by using fractional inhibitory concentrations.
Results The inhibition zones diameters of the pomegranate peel extracts against most common isolated bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and
Escherichia coli) increase significantly with increase in concentrations. There is no effect of the extracts on the ability of studied bacteria to
produce hemolysin and protease enzymes, while both studied bacteria lost its ability to produce β-lactamase enzyme after treating with MIC.
In addition, extracts were affected largely on adherence activity and biofilm forming ability of tested bacteria. The results found that the
pomegranate peel extracts effect alone against pathogenic bacteria was good than they interacted with antibiotics, in most of the results.
Conclusion The alcohol extract was the best solvent in its effects on bacterial pathogen and its effect was largely on the ability of the studied
bacteria to form biofilm and adhesion on the epithelial cell. The pomegranate peel extracts were high synergism with some antibiotics
against pathogenic bacteria.