Antimicrobial effects of wasp (Vespa orientalis) venom

Abstract

Background and objective The discovery of novel naturally occurring antimicrobial agents is one of the most promising approaches for overcoming the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Venomous animals from different ecological niches and taxonomic groups have recently gained attention in the search for new antimicrobials to treat infectious diseases. Therefore, the main aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Orient hornet venom. Materials and methods Different concentrations of wasp venom were tested for their antimicrobial effect against two gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli), two gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus), and one yeast like fungi (Candida albicans). The antimicrobial activity was analyzed using the well diffusion method, where zones of inhibition were used as indicators of antimicrobial activity. Results and conclusion The venom exhibited notable antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens. Gram-positive bacterial strains were found to be more sensitive than both gram-negative bacterial strains and fungal strain. The highest inhibition zones were determined to be 24.3±1.9, 29.3±1.5, 17.3±1.8, 14.0±1.7, and 15.7±1.5 mm for S. aureus, B. cereus, S. typhimurium, E. coli, and C. albicans, respectively. The corresponding minimum inhibitory concentration values were determined to be 0.32, 0.16, 0.625, 1.25, and 0.625 mg/ml, respectively. These results offer insights into the antimicrobial potency of wasp venom and provide a basis for further pharmacological research.