Pomegranate extract specifically inhibits Clostridium difficile growth and toxin production without disturbing the beneficial bacteria. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Pomegranate extract specifically inhibitsgrowth and toxin production without disturbing the beneficial bacteria in vitro.
Infect Drug Resist. 2018 ;11:2357-2362. Epub 2018 Nov 16. PMID: 30532567
Murugapillai Rathinam Sukumar
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the pomegranate juice against the growth and toxin production of multidrug-resistanthypervirulent strain NAP1/027/BI and also against the growth of beneficial bacteria to prevent or suppressinfection (CDI).
Materials and methods: Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were taken as parameters for the assessment of antimicrobial property of the pomegranate juice. Four differenthypervirulent strains NAP1/027/BI,spp.,, andwere subjected to the broth dilution method to determine the MIC and MBC. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to determine clostridial toxin B (TcdB) production in the presence of pomegranate juice.
Results: The MIC and MBC of pomegranate juice containing punicalagin were found to be 390µg/mL for allhypervirulent strain NAP1/027/BI, and the growth ofspp.,, andwas not inhibited. Pomegranate juice reduced TcdB production inhypervirulent strain NAP1/027/BI.
Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of pomegranate juice to reduce CDI without affecting the beneficial bacteria. Pomegranate juice may be a useful antimicrobial agent to prevent or suppress CDI, avoiding the use of antibiotics.