Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 28 No 1 (2024): 33-44

 

PHYTOCHEMICALS ISOLATION, ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITIES OF MALAYSIAN Uncaria tomentosa AGAINST ORAL STREPTOCOCCI

 

(Pengasingan Fitokimia, Aktiviti Antibakteria dan Antibiofilem Uncaria tomentosa dari Malaysia terhadap Streptococci Oral)

 

Nor Haslini Wahid1, Rohaya Ahmad1, Zainon Mohd Noor1, Nurul 'Izzah Mohd Sarmin2,3, Norizan Ahmat4, Adiez Sapura Azmi1, and Fatimah Salim1,2*

 

1School of Chemistry & Environment,

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

2Atta-ur-Rahman Institute for Natural Product Discovery (AuRIns),

Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

3Faculty of Dentistry,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia

4Centre of Foundation Studies,

Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor Branch, Dengkil Campus, 43800 Dengkil, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: fatimah2940@uitm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 13 September 2023; Accepted: 12 December 2023; Published:  28 February 2024

 

 

Abstract

Uncaria tomentosa (Rubiaceae), locally known as ‘kait-kait’ has long been used for medicinal purposes to heal various diseases, including those related to bacterial infection. In an attempt to search for new antimicrobial agents, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm potentials of hexane (Hx), dichloromethane (DCM), and 80% ethanolic (EtOH) stem extracts of Malaysian U. tomentosa against five oral streptococci bacteria namely S. salivarius, S. mitis, S. uberis, S. mutans and S. anginosus. The antibacterial assay employed the agar-well diffusion method where cycloheximide was used as the positive control, while minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined through resazurin microtiter assay using 96-well microtiter plates. On the other hand, the antibiofilm activity was investigated using a crystal violet assay. The DCM stem extract was found to be active against all tested bacterial strains with ZOI ranging from 10.3±0.6 to 16.0±1.0 mm, and a MIC value of 234.4 µg/mL. Compared to average biofilm growth, the extract reduced biofilm formation by at least 50%. Phytochemical work on the DCM extract afforded four compounds elucidated as isopteropodine (1), pteropodine (2), β-sitosterol (3), and scopoletin (4). These four compounds have been previously reported to exhibit antibacterial activity against different bacterial strains. The findings provide evidence to support the plant’s traditional use and could be the source of antibacterial and antibiofilm agents for further studies.

 

Keywords: Uncaria, dichloromethane extract, oral bacteria, streptococci, antimicrobial

 

 

Abstrak

Uncaria tomentosa (Rubiaceae), yang dikenali sebagai 'kait-kait' telah lama digunakan untuk tujuan perubatan dalam menyembuhkan pelbagai penyakit, termasuk yang berkaitan dengan jangkitan kuman. Dalam usaha mencari agen antimikrob baharu, kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk menilai potensi antibakteria dan antibiofilem ekstrak heksana (Hx), diklorometana (DCM) dan 80% etanol (EtOH) daripada batang U. tomentosa dari Malaysia terhadap lima bakteria streptokokus oral iaitu S. salivarius, S. mitis, S. uberis, S. mutans dan S. anginosus. Ujikaji antibakteria menggunakan kaedah ujian peresapan telaga agar di mana sikloheksimida digunakan sebagai kawalan positif, manakala kepekatan perencatan minimum (MIC) ditentukan melalui ujian mikrotiter resazurin dengan menggunakan plat mikrotiter 96 telaga. Ekstrak batang DCM didapati aktif terhadap semua strain bakteria yang diuji dengan ZOI dalam julat 10.3±0.6 - 16.0±1.0 mm, dan nilai MIC 234.4 µg/mL. Berbanding purata pertumbuhan biofilm normal, ekstrak ini dapat mengurangkan pembentukan biofilm sekurang-kurangnya 50%. Kajian fitokimia pada ekstrak DCM menghasilkan empat sebatian yang dikenalpasti sebagai isopteropodine (1), pteropodine (2), β-sitosterol (3), dan scopoletin (4). Empat sebatian ini sebelum ini telah dilaporkan mempamerkan aktiviti antibakteria terhadap strain bakteria yang berbeza. Penemuan ini memberikan bukti untuk menyokong penggunaan tradisional tumbuhan dan boleh menjadi sumber agen antibakteria dan antibiofilem untuk kajian lanjut.

 

Kata kunci: Uncaria, ekstrak diklorometana, bakteria oral, streptokokus, aktiviti antimikrob 

 

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