Abstract
Withania coagulans contains a complex mixture of various bioactive compounds. In order to reduce the complexity of the plant extract to purify its phytochemical biomolecules, a novel fractionation strategy using different solvent combination ratios was applied to isolate twelve bioactive fractions. These fractions were tested for activity in the biogenic synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles, biofilm and antifungal activities. The results revealed that plant extract with bioactive fractions in 30% ratio for all solvent combinations showed more potent bioreducing power, according to the observed color changes and the appearance of representative absorption peaks at 500–510 nm in the UV-visible spectra which confirm the synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs). XRD diffraction was used to define the crystal structure, size and phase composition of the products. The fractions obtained using 90% methanol/hexane and 30% methanol/hexane showed more effectiveness against biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus so these fractions could potentially be used to treat bacterial infections. The 90% hexane/H2O fraction showed excellent antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, while the 70% methanol/hexane fraction showed good antifungal activity for C. albicans, so these fractions are potentially useful for the treatment of various fungal infections. On the whole it was concluded that fractionation based on effective combinations of methanol/hexane was useful to investigate and study bioactive compounds, and the active compounds from these fractions may be further purified and tested in various clinical trials.
Highlights
Adverse increases in the rates of microbial, fungal and viral infections worldwide prompted by compromised and human immunity are due in part to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics thatMolecules 2020, 25, 3478; doi:10.3390/molecules25153478 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesMolecules 2020, 25, 3478 enhances resistance in microbial communities against the corresponding antigens [1]
The increasing resistance of microbes against antibiotics calls for the urgent discovery of unique biomolecules from extracts of plants like W. coagulans that are of potential interest for their antibiofilm and antifungal activity and as bioreducing agents for the synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles
Twelve different W. coagulans-based fractions prepared using combinations of different solvents and their mixture were used to study the effect of different solvent combinations on various biological activities
Summary
Adverse increases in the rates of microbial, fungal and viral infections worldwide prompted by compromised and human immunity are due in part to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics thatMolecules 2020, 25, 3478; doi:10.3390/molecules25153478 www.mdpi.com/journal/moleculesMolecules 2020, 25, 3478 enhances resistance in microbial communities against the corresponding antigens [1]. Biofilm affinity is associated to a firm attachment of the microbe and biofilm-forming microbes have a great tendency to stick permanently to the large variety of surfaces [3] These tiny creatures’ biofilms are protected by a layer of exopolysaccharides, which can be up to 1000 times more resistant to antimicrobials, which has increased exponentially the rate of chronic infections caused by increased resistance against the host immune system and antibiotics [4,5]. The limited availability of commercial drugs effective against bacteria and the resulting toxicity has increased the global rate and effects of infections in people. This severe problem has driven the interest of researchers in developing less toxic, herbal bioactive compounds that could work against such strains of microbes.
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