<i>Pimenta</i> Oil as A Potential Treatment for <i>Acinetobacter Baumannii</i> Wound Infection: In Vitro and In Vivo Bioassays in Relation to Its Chemical Composition

• Main Authors: Maha M. Ismail, Reham Samir, Fatema R. Saber, Shaimaa R. Ahmed, Mohamed A. Farag
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Antibiotics
• Subjects: <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>; MDR; biofilm; antimicrobial; <i>Pimenta</i>; Myrtaceae
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/10/679

Bacterial biofilm contributes to antibiotic resistance. Developing antibiofilm agents, more favored from natural origin, is a potential method for treatment of highly virulent multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains; The potential of <i>Pimenta dioica</i> and <i>Pimenta racemosa</i> essential oils (E.Os) antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in relation to their chemical composition, in addition to their ability to treat <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> wound infection in mice model were investigated; <i>P. dioica</i> leaf E.O at 0.05 µg·mL⁻¹ efficiently inhibited and eradicated biofilm formed by <i>A. baumannii</i> by 85% and 34%, respectively. Both <i>P. diocia</i> and <i>P. racemosa</i> leaf E.Os showed a bactericidal action against <i>A. baumanii</i> within 6h at 2.08 µg·mL⁻¹. In addition, a significant reduction of <i>A. baumannii</i> microbial load in mice wound infection model was found. Furthermore, gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis revealed qualitative and quantitative differences among <i>P. racemosa</i> and <i>P. dioica</i> leaf and berry E.Os. Monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, and phenolics were the major detected classes. β-Myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, and eugenol were the most abundant volatiles. While, sesquiterpenes were found as minor components in <i>Pimenta</i> berries E.O; Our finding suggests the potential antimicrobial activity of <i>Pimenta</i> leaf E.O against MDR <i>A. baumannii</i> wound infections and their underlying mechanism and to be further tested clinically as treatment for MDR <i>A. baumannii</i> infections.