Additive antibacterial activity of naringenin and antibiotic combinations against multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus
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Date
2015Author
Ng'uni, Tiza
Mothlalamme, Thato
Daniels, Raymond
Klaasen, Jeremy
Fielding, Burtram C.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been causing numerous problems in the health care
sector. This is mainly due to its ability to develop resistance to a number of antibiotics used to treat
staphylococcal infections. Medicinal plants have been used to treat various ailments over the years and
are generating a lot of interest as alternative treatment options. Naringenin is a plant derived flavonoid
that possesses antibacterial properties, among others. This study assessed the effect of combinations
of naringenin and four antibiotics against two Staphylococcus aureus strains. The minimum inhibitory
concentrations were determined using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution assays. In the disk
diffusion assay, naringenin did not inhibit bacterial growth, nor did it enhance the antibacterial activity
of the antibiotics in the combination study. This was attributed to its slow rate of diffusion out of the
disks. On the contrary, in the broth microdilution assay, naringenin exhibited additive effects when
combined with the antibiotics (at sub-inhibitory concentrations). These results show the potential of
naringenin as an antibacterial agent. Furthermore, the additive effects observed at low naringenin
concentrations showed that it can potentially be used in combination with antibiotics against multidrug
resistant bacteria.