Efeito do metabólito bioativo e de lectinas vegetais sobre o crescimento de micro-organismos patogênicos

Abstract

Biofilms are communities of microbial cells embedded in a matrix of polymeric material consists mainly of polysaccharides that form on biotic or abiotic surface. The search for phytochemicals agents with potential anti-biofilm became an active area in scientific research. Lectins are proteins that bind carbohydrates of form specifically and reversibly, being able to agglutinate and precipitate cells and/or glycoconjugates. Due to their capacity to bind and recognize specific carbohydrates, lectins can be a potent toolin biofilm studies. These proteins can bind to the bacteria or prevent the interaction with the surface and consequently decrease biofilm formation. Other classes of biomolecules with applicability in this type of bacterial communities are the secondary metabolites isolated from plant tissues. The class of diterpenes, substances very common in plants, corresponds to a class of natural molecules with antimicrobial properties well established. T hus, the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity "in vitro" of plant lectins and diterpene casbano(CD), a secondary metabolite isolated from Croton nepetaefolius, aplant native to northeastern Brazil, against different pathogens microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC, of planktonic growth was made by the standard techinique of microdilution determined by optical density at 640nm. Analisys of initial adhesion and biofilm formation were performed using polystyrene microtiter plates with quantification of biomass by the method of staining with crystal violet. The tests were performed with different concentrations of the products tested. The results showed that the lectin from Canavalia ensiformis had an antibacterial effect, inhibiting the planktonic growth of gram-positive bacteria. Other lectins showed an inhibition of initial adhesion and an inhibition of biofilm formation of some microorganisms. The CD had a biocidal activity and biostatic for most species tested, being able to affect also the formation of biofilm. In conclusion, these results showed that the lectins and casbane diterpene have a promising antibacterial activity, suggesting a possible application therapeutic for pharmacological treatment of infections associated with different infectious agents.