Abstract
To investigate the effect of natural products on the spore cycle of Clostridium difficile invitro. Twenty-two natural products were investigated using four C. difficile strains. Effects on sporulation, determined using microscopy and a conventional spore recovery assay, showed that fresh onion bulb extract (6·3% vv-1 ) and coconut oil (8% vv-1 ) inhibited sporulation in all four isolates by 66-86% and 51-88%, respectively, compared to untreated controls. Fresh ginger rhizome extract (25% vv-1 ) was also inhibitory, although to a lesser extent. Using a standard spore germination and outgrowth assay, germination was unaffected by the 22 products, whereas outgrowth was significantly reduced by artichoke extract (18·8mgml-1 ), fresh onion bulb extract (25% vv-1 ), Leptospermum honeys (8% wv-1 ) and allicin (75mgml-1 ; P<0·01). Sporicidal activity, investigated using a standard plate recovery assay, was minimal. Three of the 22 natural products (13%) showed inhibitory effects on sporulation of C. difficile and six products (27%) reduced vegetative outgrowth of C. difficile. This study shows the potential of natural products to inhibit different stages of C. difficile sporulation and encourages further investigation in this field.
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