Ruxin Guo1, Xin Yang1, Ian Edwin Cock1,2,*
1School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.
2Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.
DOI: 10.5530/pc.2023.3.18
ABSTRACT
Background: Plants of the genus Acacia have been used by Australian Aborigines to treat a variety of conditions including bacterial pathogens and inflammation. Despite this, many Acacia spp. have not been evaluated for the ability to inhibit the growth of bacterial triggers of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. This study evaluated the effects od Acacia disparrima and Acacia leiocalyx leaf extracts alone and in combination against some baxcterial triggers of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and multiple sclerosis. Results: Acacia disparrima and Acacia leiocalyx leaf extracts displayed noteworthy antibacterial activity against several bacterial triggers of autoimmune diseases. The methanolic extracts were particularly good inhibitors of P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae, and A. baylyi with MIC values <1000μg/mL, but were ineffective against P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, combining the extracts with conventional antibiotics resulted in significant potentiation of the inhibitory activity for some combinations. Interestingly, all of the synergistic interactions contained tetracycline as the antibiotic component, whilst all of the antagonistic combinations contained either gentamicin or ciprofloxacin as the antibiotic component. None of the individual components (nor the combinations) were toxic in the ALA assay. Conclusion: The majority of combinational effects were either additive or indifferent, thereby alleviating some concern related to the concurrent use of A. disparrima and A. leiocalyx whilst also taking conventional antibiotics. A few notable combinations were identified, indicating the need for further in vivo testing.
Keywords: Australian plants, Medicinal plants, Synergy, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Multiple sclerosis, Drug combinations, Efflux pump inhibitor.