Abstract
Biofilm is a complex organic compound made up of microorganisms that develop in colonies within an extracellular mucopolysaccharide substance. One of the most prevalent among HAIs (healthcare associated infections) is catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI); in which 70-80% of the infections are linked to the usage of an indwelling urethral catheter. Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. are the most prevalent causative organisms for CA-UTI, accounting for 48% of the total infections. Even though, antimicrobial coating on the catheter surfaces is considered to be effective, development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among pathogens lead to undesirable impacts and development of novel antimicrobial agents from various sources become necessary. Therefore, in the present study, the biofilm inhibition potentials of Illicium verum seed pod extract was evaluated against major biofilm producers E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by well diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. Seedpod extracts were coated on urinary catheters and bacterial inhibition was evaluated. The crude extracts showed higher inhibitory zones at 500 mg/ml and 1000 mg/ml. MICs were observed to be 15.6 mg/ml and 7.8 mg/ml against E. coli and E. faecalis, respectively. The coated urinary catheters showed evident inhibitory zones demonstrating the effective biofilm prevention and elimination. From the analysis, the I. verum seed pod extracts can be used for development of novel antimicrobials and catheter coatings can be used for prevention of CA-UTI.