Anti-quorum Sensing Activity of Local Ulam in Malaysia

• Main Authors: M.Z. Mohd Shaman, A. Mohd Fikri, A.W. Nur Aishah, M.R. Salina, M.N. Hanina
• Format: Conference Paper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Anti-Quarum sensing (Anti-QS); Chromobacterium violaceum; Therapeutic; Pathogenicity; Ulam
• Online Access: http://ddms.usim.edu.my/handle/123456789/6110

Bacterial intercellular communication, or quorum sensing (QS), controls the pathogenesis of many medically important organisms. Anti-QS compounds have the ability to attenuate bacterial pathogenicity. Therefore, recent research has focused on the development of therapeutic agents which prevent bacterial pathogenesis by inhibiting bacterial QS. The current quest for new antimicrobials aimed at discovering non-toxic inhibitors of QS from natural sources which can be used for treatment of bacterial infections in human. The primary objective of this research is to identify QS inhibitors or anti-QS compounds in some of local ulam commonly found in Malaysia. In this study, plants were collected and tested using biomonitor strain, Chromobacterium violaceum. This biomonitor strain has an ability to produce a purple pigment (violacein) under QS-control. To test this hypothesis, 5 types of local ulam, including Parkia speciosa (petai or bitter bean), Cosmos cardatus (Ulam raja), Centella asiatica (pegaga), Ocimum sanctum (selasih) and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (kacang botol) were screened for anti-QS activity using two biomonitor strains of Chromobacterium violaceum, ATCC 12472 and ATCC 31532. Among these plants, only Parkia speciosa obviously showed QS inhibition. This study introduces not only a new mode of action and possible validation for traditional plant use, but also a potentially new therapeutic direction for the treatment of bacterial infections.