Disruption of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms with Purified Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract Protein

Abstract

A major cause of economic losses in the medical implant sector has been bacterial biofilms due to their ability to persist on various surfaces and their tolerance against endogenous defences, antibiotics, or other anti-microbial agents. The quest for potential sources causing inhibition or disruption of bacterial biofilms has been taken up to alleviate the loss. Plant derived extracts such as essential oils, bioactive compounds and other solvent extracts are regularly being used instead of antibiotics and other synthetic compounds as they are safer, economical, and in many instances, have an elaborate history of traditional medicinal usage. As a plant that has been traditionally used over the centuries, the Moringa oleifera Lam., or more commonly the drumstick tree, is being tapped for myriad pharmaceutical applications. The protein-rich leaf of this tree has not only proved to be of great nutritional value but also divulged numerous potential therapeutic applications. While reports of proteinaceous components are rare, here we report the efficacy of the aqueous extract of the leaf of M. oleifera and a 62 kDa protein component in the disruption of staphylococcal biofilms, which are largely implicated in nosocomial infections. The application of the M. oleifera leaf extract protein had a marked effect on the biofilm growth or formation by Staphylococcus aureus. While the crude extract itself showed considerable disruption of biofilm formation, the application of the purified protein obtained after a two-step process led to a significant increase in the anti-biofilm activity.