Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Antibacterial activity and mode of action of Mentha arvensis ethanol extract against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Ling Zhang¹, Shu-gen Xu¹, Wei Liang², Jun Mei¹, Yue-ying Di¹, Hui-hua Lan¹, Yan Yang¹, Wei-wei Wang¹, Yuan-yuan Luo¹, Hou-zhao Wang¹

¹Central Laboratory, The 174th Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, The Affiliated Chenggong Hospital of Xiamen University; ²Hospital Infection Management Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003 China.

For correspondence:-

Received: 19 May 2015 Accepted: 6 Octobr 2015 Published: 29 November 2015

Citation: Zhang L, Xu S, Liang W, Mei J, Di Y, Lan H, et al. Antibacterial activity and mode of action of Mentha arvensis ethanol extract against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(11):2099-2106 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i10.21

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the antibacterial effect of ethanol extract of Mentha arvensis against multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS).

Methods: Disc diffusion and microdilution assays were used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of the extract by measuring the zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and and minimum bacteriocidal concentration (MBC) of the extract against the test bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to evaluate the morphological changes induced by the extract in cellular membrane of the bacteria. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and protein leakage from the bacterial cells induced by the extract were also evaluated.

Results: The extract showed dose-dependent growth inhibitory effects against A. baumannii with MIC and MBC of 23.5 and 72.1 µg/mL, respectively. The extract also induced potent ROS generation and protein leakage in A. baumannii bacterial cells. SEM findings revealed that the extract induced potential cellular damage which increased with increasing extract concentration.

Conclusion: The ethanol extract of Mentha arvensis is a potent antibacterial agent against A. baumannii and acts by inducing lethal cellular damage to the bacterium.

Keywords: Mentha arvensis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Reactive oxygen species, Antibacterial activity, Cellular membrane damage