Fighting multidrug resistance with a fruit extract: anti-cancer and anti-biofilm activities of Acca sellowiana

Abstract

In this study, the efficacy of Acca sellowiana fruit acetonic extract on human MDR cancer cells was tested for the first time, and it was demonstrated that the fruit extract is effective on both sensitive and resistant tumor cells. The effects of A. sellowiana extract on bacterial biofilm were also examined for the first time. By crystal violet assays and confocal microscopy analyses, it was demonstrated that the plant extract is able to strongly inhibit biofilm formation of both sensitive and resistant bacterial strains. Furthermore, antimicrobial activity assays and TEM analyses clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of plant extract on planktonic bacterial cells in both sensitive and resistant strains. Altogether, these findings intriguingly expand the panel of activities of A. sellowiana fruit extract with respect to previous reports, and open interesting perspectives to its therapeutic applications.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Fruit extract
• antibiotic resistance
• multidrug resistant tumor cells
• bacterial biofilm

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was partially supported by PROSIT s.n.c Spin Off “Isolation, identification and characterization of the bioactive principles of Feijoa sellowiana” admitted to financing with Rectoral Decree number 1954 of June 3, 2014.