Abstract
The global escalation in antibiotic resistance cases means alternative antimicrobials are essential. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial capacity of apple cider vinegar (ACV) against E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans. The minimum dilution of ACV required for growth inhibition varied for each microbial species. For C. albicans, a 1/2 ACV had the strongest effect, S. aureus, a 1/25 dilution ACV was required, whereas for E-coli cultures, a 1/50 ACV dilution was required (p < 0.05). Monocyte co-culture with microbes alongside ACV resulted in dose dependent downregulation of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6). Results are expressed as percentage decreases in cytokine secretion comparing ACV treated with non-ACV treated monocytes cultured with E-coli (TNFα, 99.2%; IL-6, 98%), S. aureus (TNFα, 90%; IL-6, 83%) and C. albicans (TNFα, 83.3%; IL-6, 90.1%) respectively. Proteomic analyses of microbes demonstrated that ACV impaired cell integrity, organelles and protein expression. ACV treatment resulted in an absence in expression of DNA starvation protein, citrate synthase, isocitrate and malate dehydrogenases in E-coli; chaperone protein DNak and ftsz in S. aureus and pyruvate kinase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, fructose bisphosphate were among the enzymes absent in C.albican cultures. The results demonstrate ACV has multiple antimicrobial potential with clinical therapeutic implications.
Highlights
Antibiotic resistance is rapidly becoming a major worldwide problem
In order to determine the anti-microbial activity of apple cider vinegar (ACV), E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans were directly cultured with different concentrations of ACV
We measured the equivalent zones of inhibition for each of the microbes at varying dilutions of ACV which is depicted in the photographs of the culture plates (Fig. 2)
Summary
Antibiotic resistance is rapidly becoming a major worldwide problem. There has been a steady increase in the number of pathogens that show multiple drug resistance. Mononuclear cells recognize pathogens associated with molecular patterns (PAMPs) present on the microbial surface. This results in intracellular signaling cascades which initiate pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine release into the blood circulation. Antibiotics can affect mononuclear phagocytic function and modulate the activity of nuclear transcription factors such as NF-ĸB and activator proteins[4,5,6,7] Microorganisms such as E-coli, S. aureus and C. albicans form part of the human microbiota. Despite the known health benefits of dietary organic acid supplementation, to the best of our knowledge the direct effect of ACV on microbes and mononuclear leucocytes has not been examined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of ACV on microbes and associated inflammatory pathways
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