Antibacterial Activity of Propolis Extracts from the Central Region of Romania against Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Mihaela Laura Vică,Mirel Glevitzky,Cosmin Adrian Teodoru,Horea Vladi Matei,Costel Vasile Siserman,Ioana Glevitzky

doi:10.3390/antibiotics10060689

Abstract

(1) Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most common infections worldwide, many of these being caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Increased antimicrobial NG resistance has been reported in recent decades, highlighting the need for new sources of natural compounds with valuable antimicrobial activity. This study aims to determine the effect of propolis extracts on NG strains, including antibiotic-resistant strains. (2) Methods: First void urine samples from presumed positive STI subjects were harvested. DNA was extracted, purified, and amplified via PCR for the simultaneous detection of 6 STIs. The presence of the dcmH, gyrA, and parC genes was checked in the DNA samples from NG-positive patients. The antimicrobial activity of 5 aqueous propolis extracts from central Romania was investigated in vitro against some isolated NG strains. ANOVA tests were employed to assess differences and interactions between the inhibition zone for NG strains and propolis extracts. (3) Results: 7.07% of the patients presented NG infections, some strains being resistant or intermediate-resistant to ciprofloxacin. All propolis samples exhibited an antibacterial effect, including on resistant strains. (4) Conclusions: Statistical analysis demonstrated that the diameter of the inhibition zone was influenced both by the NG strain type and the source of the propolis extracts.

Highlights

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), the gonococcus, is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes gonorrhea, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI), with an estimated number of 87 million new cases in 2016 [1]
Social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status, the presence of individuals engaged in unprotected sex at early ages, and the lack of prevention education may contribute to the burden of gonorrhea in a community [2]
The propolis samples collected from various Romanian counties were analyzed in terms of aspect, water content and activity, total ash percentage, and phenolic and flavonoid content (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), the gonococcus, is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes gonorrhea, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI), with an estimated number of 87 million new cases in 2016 [1]. For the past 70 to 80 years, gonorrhea has been treated successfully with the help of antimicrobials. At present, gonococcal infections are most common because NG was able to develop resistance to several classes of antibiotics [3,4]. NG has become less susceptible to several antibiotics such as sulfonamides, penicillins, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and even cephalosporins [5]. The Gonococcal Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Programme has shown high rates of quinolone resistance, increasing azithromycin resistance, and emerging resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins

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