Evaluating the antimicrobial properties of American Burnweed against ESKAPE pathogens

Abstract

With the increasing development and utilization of antibiotics, many virulent bacterial species have begun developing antibiotic resistance or lessened inhibition when exposed to these compounds. As the evolutionary arms race ensues, the dangers of antibiotic resistance have become increasingly common in medical settings like hospitals. This can be seen in ESKAPE pathogens like Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. These pathogens are critical to organizations like the WHO and CDC, because all of whom not only develop resistance, but also pose great danger, particularly in immunocompromised individuals due to medical device biofilm development, and infections of the bloodstream, respiratory system, and wounds. Our study aims to utilize plant metabolites extracted with methanol and ethanol from Erechtites hieraciifolius, a plant believed to be used by indigenous Americans, to determine whether discernable inhibition effects can be imposed onto pathogenic bacteria using Staphylococcus epidermidis, a generally harmless relative to the potentially deadly S. aureus, which can cause skin, joint and bone infections, endocarditis, pneumonia, and more. To date, we have used plant metabolites extracted with methanol against S. epidermidis and have not yet seen inhibitory activity. However, our ethanol fractions have shown promising preliminary results, and we are continuing to screen this fraction to determine its potential inhibitory effects on S. epidermidis. Moreover, experiments to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and identify the compounds responsible for antimicrobial effect are underway. Our study is the first to show the potential antimicrobial properties of American Burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius).