Abstract
The antimicrobial activity of donkey milk was examined against 3 bacterial and 3 fungal strains selected on the basis of their relevance as human pathogens. All samples of donkey milk exhibited antimicrobial activity against dermatomycotic fungi and foodborne pathogen bacteria. The highest antimicrobial activity was recorded against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. rubrum with minimal lethal concentration of 32 mg/ml. In respect to foodborne pathogenic bacteria, Gram- positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) were more sensitive to donkey milk than Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) with minimal lethal concentrations of 32, 64 and 128 mg/ml respectively. Donkey milk kept about 60 to 62% of its antimicrobial activity against B. cereus and S. aurous respectively, after digestion with pepsin (2 mg/ml), suggesting that the fatty acids of donkey milk has the highest antimicrobial effect. While the antimicrobial activity against dermatomycotic fungi and Gram-negative bacteria not affected after digestion with pepsin. To explain the antifungal capability of donkey milk against dermatomycotic fungi, fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography. Fatty acids analysis indicated that the major constituents in donkey milk lipid are oleic (25.4%), palmitic (23.75%), linolenic (20.04%), arachidic (3.58%) and stearic (3.26%), which have antimicrobial activity. Finally, on the basis of results obtained in the current study, the antimicrobial activity of donkey milk against Staphylococcus aureus and dermatomycotic fungi, specially T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum which frequently cause acute or chronic inflammatory tinea corporis; may be considered as a valuable natural product with novel functional protection properties in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
Highlights
Milk is a complex medium containing a variety of nutrients, minerals, vitamins as well as other molecules of functional or bioactive properties [1]
This study aims to (1) assess the antimicrobial activity of some Egyptian samples of donkey milks against the dermatomycotic fungi and some foodborne pathogenic bacteria, (2) to determine the minimal lethal concentration of donkey milks against tested pathogenic microorganisms, (3) to detect the major component corresponding to the antimicrobial activity of donkey milk
The highest antimicrobial activity of donkey milk was recorded against the dermatomycotic fungi including T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum with minimal lethal concentration 32 mg/ml
Summary
Milk is a complex medium containing a variety of nutrients, minerals, vitamins as well as other molecules of functional or bioactive properties [1]. Great interest has been developed toward donkey milk, because of its high likeness to human milk and unique functional properties with low casein content and high percentage of essential amino. Mostafa Koutb et al.: Antimicrobial Activity of Donkey Milk Against Dermatomycotic Fungi and Food Borne Bacteria acids. Donkey milk contains a number of antimicrobial factors, especially milk proteins, which play a major role in milk protection. Especially lysozyme, in donkey milk possess some unique characteristics such as bactericidal property which makes it different from other mammal milks [3, 4]. The antimicrobial activity of donkey milk was reported previously against Salmonella choleraesuis and Shigella dysenteriae [5]
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