Thymol Nanoemulsion: A New Therapeutic Option for Extensively Drug Resistant Foodborne Pathogens

• Main Authors: Mahmoud M. Bendary, Doaa Ibrahim, Rasha A. Mosbah, Farag Mosallam, Wael A. H. Hegazy, Naglaa F. S. Awad, Walaa A. Alshareef, Suliman Y. Alomar, Sawsan A. Zaitone, Marwa I. Abd El-Hamid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
• Series: Antibiotics
• Subjects: thymol nanoemulsion; XDR; <i>Salmonella</i> Enteritidis; broiler chickens; cytokines
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/1/25

Foodborne pathogens have been associated with severe and complicated diseases. Therefore, these types of infections are a concern for public health officials and food and dairy industries. Regarding the wide-spread multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) foodborne pathogens such as <i>Salmonella</i> Enteritidis (<i>S.</i> Enteritidis), new and alternative therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Therefore, we investigated the antimicrobial, anti-virulence, and immunostimulant activities of a stable formulation of thymol as thymol nanoemulsion in an in vivo approach. Notably, treatment with 2.25% thymol nanoemulsion led to a pronounced improvement in the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in addition to decreases in the severity of clinical findings and mortality percentages of challenged chickens with XDR <i>S.</i> Enteritidis confirming its pronounced antimicrobial activities. Moreover, thymol nanoemulsion, at this dose, had protective effects through up-regulation of the protective cytokines and down-regulation of XDR <i>S.</i> Enteritidis <i>sopB</i> virulence gene and interleukins (<i>IL</i>)<i>-4</i> and <i>IL-10</i> cytokines as those hinder the host defenses. Furthermore, it enhanced the growth of gut <i>Bifidobacteria</i> species, which increases the strength of the immune system. For that, we suggested the therapeutic use of thymol nanoemulsion against resistant foodborne pathogens. Finally, we recommended the use of 2.25% thymol nanoemulsion as a feed additive for immunocompromised individuals as well as in the veterinary fields.