Hemidesmus indicus, a traditional medicinal plant, targets the adherence of multidrug-resistant pathogens to form biofilms

Abstract Aggregated mode of bacterial growth in the form of biofilm is a prime reason for nonspecific antibiotic resistance and several persistent and chronic infections in clinical settings. Hence, targeting the initial adherence, early & mature biofilms of the bacterial pathogens would be a suitable alternative to control multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The root bark of Hemidesmus indicus is a well-known in the Ayurvedic medicinal system. In the present study, antibiofilm potential of methanolic extract of H. indicus root (HI) was evaluated against nosocomial bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. The minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) of HI was found to be 300 and 150 μg/ml for S. aureus and S. pyogenes, respectively. Further results from microscopic analyses and in vitro bioassays validated the biofilm inhibitory potential of HI. HI at MBIC failed to eradicate the preformed biofilms of the test pathogens. Chromatographic analysis divulges the presence of several functional metabolites in the HI responsible for its bioactivity. Thus, the present study suggests that HI targets the biofilm formation of the test pathogens by hindering the initial adherence of the cells to form biofilm. The extract of HI root can be used as a suitable alternate to treat biofilm mediated infection and would be considered in drug formulations to control the onset of biofilm mediated bacterial infections.