Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of basic sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Basrah, Iraq
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with a significant rate of skin and other systemic infections throughout the world in both humans and animals. This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity of commercial coconut oil against MRSA. Clinical isolates of MRSA were obtained from AL- sadder Teaching hospital /Basra / Iraq and were identified and confirmed by standard methods. The in vitro antibacterial activity of coconut oil was studied by the disc diffusion method which has shown strong suppressive activity on MRSA. Full strength coconut oil exhibited a better zone of inhibition around MRSA in comparison to diluted preparations. For in vivo activity, 24 adult rabbits were allocated to test MRSA-induced skin infection. Four sets of experimental animals each consisting of 6 rabbits were grouped. Multiple regions in each animal in all groups were inoculated with 0.1 ml of MSRA at a concentration of 1.5 x108 CFU/ml. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were additionally treated through injection in the areas of bacterial inoculation with coconut oil, vancomycin antibiotic, and normal saline respectively. Group 4 was left without any additional treatment. Viable bacterial count in the tested skin was measured on two occasions in all animals (24 and 48 hours from the experimental period). Compared to the first 24 hours, the results after 48 hours showed a significant reduction in the viable bacterial count following coconut and vancomycin treatment in comparison to those rabbits treated with normal saline or not treated at all (P-value < 0.05). Coconut oil treatment produced an 11/2 folds reduction in the viable bacterial count with mild visible skin reaction which was comparable to the effect of vancomycin. The current study concluded that the in vivo and in vitro results show that concentrated coconut oil is active against MRSA, making it a possible alternative to some of the antimicrobial agents to which these bacteria are resistant.
Keywords
2. Fung HB, Chang JY, Kuczynski S. A practical guide to the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections. Drugs. 2003;63:1459-80.https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200363140-00003
3. Capparelli R, Paralato M, Borriello G, Salvatore P, Iannelli D. Experimental phage therapy against Staphylococcus aureus in mice. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2007;51(8):2765-73.https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01513-06
4. Greenberg DP, Bayer AS, Cheung AL, Word JI. Protective efficacy of protein A specific antibody against bacteremic infection due to Staphylococcus aureus in an infant rat model. Infect Immun. 1989;57(4):113-18.https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.57.4.1113-1118.1989
5. Aires-de-Sousa M. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among animals: current overview. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017;23(6):373-80.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2016.11.002
6. Mork TT, Tollersrud B, Kvitle B, Jorgensen HJ, Waage S. Comparison of Staphylococcus aureus genotypes recovered from cases of bovine, ovine and caprine mastitis. J Clin Microbiol. 2005;43:3979-84.https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.43.8.3979-3984.2005
7. Corpa JM, Hermans K, Haesebrouck F. Main pathologies associated with Staphylococcus aureus infections in rabbits: A review. World Rabbit Sci. 2009;17:115-25.https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.651
8. Hermans K, De Herdt P, Devriese LA, Godard C, Haesebrouck F. Colonisation of rabbits with Staphylococcus aureus after experimental infection with high and low virulence strains. Vet Microbiol. 2000;72:277-84.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1135(99)00179-0
9. Appelbaum P. MRSA-the tip of the iceberg. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2006;12:3-10.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2006.01402.x
10. Dhifi W, Bellili S, Jazi S, Bahloul N, Mnif W. Essential oils' chemical characterization and investigation of some biological activities: A critical review. Medicines (Basel). 2016;3(4):25.https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines3040025
11. Anzaku AA, Assikong EB, Martins A, Peter U, Keneth T. Antimicrobial activity of coconut oil and its derivative (Lauric acid) on some selected clinical isolates. Int J Med Sci Clin Inventions. 2017;4(8):3173-7.https://doi.org/10.18535/ijmsci/v4i8.12
12. DebMandal M, Mandal S. Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.: Arecaceae): in health promotion and disease prevention. Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2001;4(3):241-7.https://doi.org/10.1016/S1995-7645(11)60078-3
13. Parfene G, Horincar V, Tyagi AK, Malik A, Bahrim G. Production of medium chain saturated fatty acids with enhanced antimicrobial activity from crude coconut fat by solid state cultivation of Yarrowia lipolytica. Food Chem. 2013;136(3-4):1345-9.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.09.057
14. Al Shamma L, Burisha R, Al Shamma N, Batol K. Effect of some sunflower Helianthus annuus L. genotypes oil on some pathogenic bacterial species. Iraqi J Sci. 2010;51(4):565-70.
15. Valgas C, Souza S, Elza F, Smania A. Screening methods to determine the antibacterial activity of natural products. Braz J Microbiol. 2007;38:369-80.https://doi.org/10.1590/S1517-83822007000200034
16. Abu-Al-Basalc MA. In vitro and in vivo antimicrobial effects of Nigella sativa Linn. seed extracts against clinical isolates from skin wound infections. Am J Appl Sci. 2009;6(8):1440.https://doi.org/10.3844/ajassp.2009.1440.1447
17. Jett BD, Hatter KL, Huycke MM, Gilmore MS. Simplified agar plate method for quantifying viable bacteria. Biotechniques. 1997;23(4):648-50.https://doi.org/10.2144/97234bm22
18. Godin B, Touitou E, Rubinstein E, Athamna A, Athamna M. A new approach for treatment of deep skin infections by an ethosomal antibiotic preparation: an in vivo study. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2005;55(6):989-94.https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dki125
19. Gould IM. Coping with antibiotic resistance: the impending crisis. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2010;36 Suppl 3:S1-2.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-8579(10)00497-8
20. Andrade RJ, Tulkens PM. Hepatic safety of antibiotics used in primary care. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2011;66:1431-46.https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkr159
21. Peedikayil FC, Remy V, John S, Chandru TP, Srinivasan P, Bijapur GA. Comparison of antibacterial efficacy of coconut oil and chlorhexidine on Streptococcus mutans: An in vivo study. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2016;6(5):447-52.https://doi.org/10.4103/2231-0762.192934
22. Dayrit FM, Buenafe OE, Chainani ET, de Vera IMS, Dimzon IKD, Gonzales EG, et al. Essential quality parameters of commercial Virgin Coconut Oil. Cord. 2007;23(1):71-80.
23. Dia VP, Garcia VV, Mabesa RC, Tecson-Mendoza EM. Comparative physicochemical characteristics of virgin coconut oil produced by different methods. Philipp Agric Sci. 2005;88(4):462-75.
24. Dayrit FM, Buenafe OE, Chainani ET, de Vera IMS, Dimzon IKD, Gonzales EG, et al. Standards for essential composition and quality factors of commercial Virgin Coconut Oil and its differentiation from RBD coconut oil and copra oil. Philipp J Sci. 2007;136(2):119-29.
25. Marina AM, Che Man YB, Nazimah SAH, Amin I. Chemical properties of Virgin Coconut Oil. J Am Oil Chem Soc. 2009;86:301-7.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-009-1351-1
26. Nazzaro F, Fratianni F, De Martino L, Coppola R, De Feo V. Effect of essential oils on pathogenic bacteria. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2013;6(12):1451-74.https://doi.org/10.3390/ph6121451
27. Dayrit FM. Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid, coconut oil is a medium-chain triglyceride. Philipp J Sci. 2014;143(2):157-66.
28. Schuster GS, Dirksen TR, Ciarlone AE, Burnett GW, Reynolds MT, Lankford MT. Anticaries and antiplaque potential of free fatty acids in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacol Ther Dent. 1980;5(1-2):25-33.
29. Bartolotta S, Garci CC, Candurra NA, Damonte EB. Effect of fatty acids on arenavirus replication: inhibition of virus production by lauric acid. Arch Virol. 2001;146(4):777-90.https://doi.org/10.1007/s007050170146
30. Sun CQ, O'Connor CJ, Roberton AM. Antibacterial actions of fatty acids and monoglycerides against Helicobacter pylori. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2003;36:9-17.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0928-8244(03)00008-7
31. Ruzin A, Novick RP. Equivalence of lauric acid and glycerol monolaurate as inhibitors of signal transduction in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 2000;182(9):2668-71.https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.182.9.2668-2671.2000
32. Petschow BW, Batema RP, Ford LL. Susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to bactericidal properties of medium-chain monoglycerides and free fatty acids. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996;40(2):302-6.https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.40.2.302
33. Dayrit FM. The properties of lauric acid and their significance in coconut oil. J Am Oil Chem Soc. 2015;92:1-15.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-014-2562-7
34. Sado-Kamdem SL, Vannini L, Guerzoni ME. Effect of α-linolenic, capric and lauric acid on the fatty acid biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus. Int J Food Microbiol. 2009;129(3):288-94.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2008.12.010
35. Ruzin A, Novick RP. Equivalence of lauric acid and glycerol monolaurate as inhibitors of signal transduction in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 2000;182(9):2668-71.https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.182.9.2668-2671.2000
36. Kitahara T, Koyama N, Matsuda J, Aoyama Y, Hirakata Y, Kamihira S, et al. Antimicrobial activity of saturated fatty acids and fatty amines against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Biol Pharm Bull. 2004;27(9):1321-6.https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.27.1321
37. Kelsey JA, Bayles KW, Shafii B, McGuire MA. Fatty acids and monoacylglycerols inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Lipids. 2006;41(10):951-61.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-006-5048-z
38. Loung FS, Silalahi J, Suryanto D. Antibacterial activity of enzymatic hydrolyzed of virgin coconut oil and palm kernel oil against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli. Int J Pharm Tech Res. 2014;6(2):628-33.
39. Rouse MS, Rotger M, Piper KE, Steckelberg JM, Scholz M, Andrews J, et al. In vitro and in vivo evaluations of the activities of lauric acid monoester formulations against Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2005;49(8):3187-91.https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.49.8.3187-3191.2005
40. Kitahara T, Aoyama Y, Hirakata Y, Kamihira S, Kohno S, Ichikawa N, et al. In vitro activity of lauric acid or myristylamine in combination with six antimicrobial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2006;27(1):51-7.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.08.020
)
