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. 2021 Jan;28(1):459-464.
doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.10.029. Epub 2020 Oct 27.

Antimicrobial activity of polyphenolic compounds from Spirulina against food-borne bacterial pathogens

Mohammad A Alshuniaber  1 , Rajapandiyan Krishnamoorthy  1 , Wahida H AlQhtani  1
Affiliations

Antimicrobial activity of polyphenolic compounds from Spirulina against food-borne bacterial pathogens

Mohammad A Alshuniaber et al. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Food-borne drug-resistant bacteria have adverse impacts on both food manufacturers and consumers. Disillusionment with the efficacy of current preservatives and antibiotics for controlling food-borne pathogens, especially drug-resistant bacteria, has led to a search for safer alternatives from natural sources. Spirulina have been recognized as a food supplement, natural colorant, and enriched source of bioactive secondary metabolites. The main objectives of this study were to isolate polyphenolic compounds from Spirulina and analyze their antibacterial potential against drug-resistant food-borne bacterial pathogens. We found that fraction B of methanol extract contained a high quantity of polyphenols exhibiting broad spectrum antimicrobial effects against drug-resistant food-borne bacterial pathogens. Potential secondary metabolites, such as benzophenone, dihydro-methyl-phenylacridine, carbanilic acid, dinitrobenzoate, propanediamine, isoquinoline, piperidin, oxazolidin, and pyrrolidine, were identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometry (GCMS). These metabolites are active against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Our work suggests that phenolic compounds from Spirulina provide a natural and sustainable source of food preservatives for future use.

Keywords: Antimicrobials; Food-borne bacterial pathogens; Natural preservatives; Polyphenols; Spirulina.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometry profile of fraction B.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Scanning electron microscopic image illustrating the effects of polyphenols from Spirulina on S. aureus. a untreated and b & c treated bacterial cells.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Scanning electron microscopic image illustrating the effects of polyphenols from Spirulina on E.coli. a) untreated and b & c) treated bacterial cells.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Transmission electron microscopic micrographic illustration of a) untreated and b) treated gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial cells. Red arrows – disintegrated cell wall and cell membrane; yellow arrows – scattered ribosomes.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Transmission electron microscopic micrographic illustration of a) untreated and b) treated gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacterial cells. Red arrows – disintegrated cell wall and cell membrane.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Further reading

    1. Awouafack M.D., McGaw L.J., Gottfried S., Mbouangouere R., Tane P., Spiteller M., Eloff J.N. Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of the ethanol extract, fractions and eight compounds isolated from Eriosema robustum (Fabaceae) BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2013;13:289. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-289. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dai J., Mumper R.J. Plant phenolics: extraction, analysis and their antioxidant and anticancer properties. Molecules. 2010;15(10):7313–7352. doi: 10.3390/molecules15107313. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Tosi E.A., Ré E., Ortega M.E., Cazzoli A.F. Food preservative based on propolis: Bacteriostatic activity of propolis polyphenols and flavonoids upon Escherichia coli. Food Chem. 2007;104:1025–1029.
    1. Szubert K., Wiglusz M., Mazur-Marzec H. Bioactive metabolites produced by Spirulina subsalsa from the Baltic Sea. Oceanologia. 2018;60:245–255.
    1. Ng K.R., Lyu X., Mark R., Chen W.N. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of phenolic metabolites from flavonoid-producing yeast: Potential as natural food preservatives. Food Chem. 2019;270:123–129. - PubMed

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