Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants

Abstract Background Different parts of Allanblackia floribunda, Calotropis procera, Hymenocardia acida, Irvingia gabonensis, Newbouldia laevis, and Xylopia acutiflora have been used traditionally across different parts of Cameroon to overcome infectious diseases, especially pneumonia. Hence, this st...

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Main Authors: Branly-natalien Nguena-dongue, Elisabeth Zeuko‘o Menkem, Paul Keilah Lunga, Stella Tofac Asong, Ayodeji Amobonye, Santhosh Pillai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-04-01
Series:Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00799-2
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author Branly-natalien Nguena-dongue
Elisabeth Zeuko‘o Menkem
Paul Keilah Lunga
Stella Tofac Asong
Ayodeji Amobonye
Santhosh Pillai
author_facet Branly-natalien Nguena-dongue
Elisabeth Zeuko‘o Menkem
Paul Keilah Lunga
Stella Tofac Asong
Ayodeji Amobonye
Santhosh Pillai
author_sort Branly-natalien Nguena-dongue
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Different parts of Allanblackia floribunda, Calotropis procera, Hymenocardia acida, Irvingia gabonensis, Newbouldia laevis, and Xylopia acutiflora have been used traditionally across different parts of Cameroon to overcome infectious diseases, especially pneumonia. Hence, this study investigated the antibacterial potential of six Cameroonian medicinal plants against selected ESKAPE pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methodology The inhibitory activities of different extracts from six Cameroonian plants against the pathogens were evaluated by determining their MICs. Subsequently, the top four bioactive plant extracts were assessed for antibiofilm activity, time-kill kinetics, cytotoxicity (Raw and Vero cell lines), as well as antioxidant activities. Finally, the effect of the most potent extract, viz. ethanolic extract of Xylopia acutiflora steam bark, on bacterial morphology was elucidated through scanning electron microscopy while its phytochemical composition was profiled using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Results Twenty-two out of the 32 prepared extracts showed significant antibacterial activity, with MICs varying from 31.5 to 1000 µg/mL. The ethanolic, methanolic, and hydroethanolic extracts from Xylopia acutifolia and ethanolic extract from Colotropix procera exhibited broad-spectrum activity, inhibiting and eradicating bacterial biofilm. Furthermore, the extract from X. acutifolia was shown to be the most effective scavenger against DPPH (IC50; 83.79 ± 1.92 µg/mL) and FRAP (IC50; 22.89 ± 1.36 µg/mL) radicals, while C. procera extract was the most effective against ABTS (IC50; 67.95 ± 1.83 µg/mL). The extracts were demonstrated to possess low cytotoxicity on both Raw and Vero cell lines. In addition, SEM revealed that X. acutifolia elicited cell membrane rupture and consequently cytoplasm leakage in E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Twenty-four different compounds were detected in the X. acutifolia extract via LC–MS analysis, and it was hypothesized that the recorded bioactivity in the extract might be ascribed to these compounds. Conclusion Results from this study have scientifically validated the ethnomedicinal uses of the six Cameroonian plants as therapeutics for infections with X. acutiflora ethanolic extract displaying the highest bioactivity. Thus, there is the need for further investigations into phytochemicals from these plants as they could serve as important sources of novel antioxidants and antimicrobial agents. Graphical abstract
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spelling doaj-art-1abdbdde986848a2ad37dc2aa21c7e2a2025-08-20T03:18:27ZengSpringerOpenFuture Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences2314-72532025-04-0111111810.1186/s43094-025-00799-2Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plantsBranly-natalien Nguena-dongue0Elisabeth Zeuko‘o Menkem1Paul Keilah Lunga2Stella Tofac Asong3Ayodeji Amobonye4Santhosh Pillai5Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of TechnologyAntimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé IAntimicrobial Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé IDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of TechnologyDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of TechnologyDepartment of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of TechnologyAbstract Background Different parts of Allanblackia floribunda, Calotropis procera, Hymenocardia acida, Irvingia gabonensis, Newbouldia laevis, and Xylopia acutiflora have been used traditionally across different parts of Cameroon to overcome infectious diseases, especially pneumonia. Hence, this study investigated the antibacterial potential of six Cameroonian medicinal plants against selected ESKAPE pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methodology The inhibitory activities of different extracts from six Cameroonian plants against the pathogens were evaluated by determining their MICs. Subsequently, the top four bioactive plant extracts were assessed for antibiofilm activity, time-kill kinetics, cytotoxicity (Raw and Vero cell lines), as well as antioxidant activities. Finally, the effect of the most potent extract, viz. ethanolic extract of Xylopia acutiflora steam bark, on bacterial morphology was elucidated through scanning electron microscopy while its phytochemical composition was profiled using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Results Twenty-two out of the 32 prepared extracts showed significant antibacterial activity, with MICs varying from 31.5 to 1000 µg/mL. The ethanolic, methanolic, and hydroethanolic extracts from Xylopia acutifolia and ethanolic extract from Colotropix procera exhibited broad-spectrum activity, inhibiting and eradicating bacterial biofilm. Furthermore, the extract from X. acutifolia was shown to be the most effective scavenger against DPPH (IC50; 83.79 ± 1.92 µg/mL) and FRAP (IC50; 22.89 ± 1.36 µg/mL) radicals, while C. procera extract was the most effective against ABTS (IC50; 67.95 ± 1.83 µg/mL). The extracts were demonstrated to possess low cytotoxicity on both Raw and Vero cell lines. In addition, SEM revealed that X. acutifolia elicited cell membrane rupture and consequently cytoplasm leakage in E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Twenty-four different compounds were detected in the X. acutifolia extract via LC–MS analysis, and it was hypothesized that the recorded bioactivity in the extract might be ascribed to these compounds. Conclusion Results from this study have scientifically validated the ethnomedicinal uses of the six Cameroonian plants as therapeutics for infections with X. acutiflora ethanolic extract displaying the highest bioactivity. Thus, there is the need for further investigations into phytochemicals from these plants as they could serve as important sources of novel antioxidants and antimicrobial agents. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00799-2AntibacterialAntibiofilmCytotoxicityESKAPE pathogensPhytochemicalMulti-drug resistance
spellingShingle Branly-natalien Nguena-dongue
Elisabeth Zeuko‘o Menkem
Paul Keilah Lunga
Stella Tofac Asong
Ayodeji Amobonye
Santhosh Pillai
Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Antibacterial
Antibiofilm
Cytotoxicity
ESKAPE pathogens
Phytochemical
Multi-drug resistance
title Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
title_full Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
title_fullStr Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
title_full_unstemmed Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
title_short Targeting multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens: antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and metabolic profiling of selected Cameroonian plants
title_sort targeting multi drug resistant eskape pathogens antibacterial antioxidant cytotoxicity and metabolic profiling of selected cameroonian plants
topic Antibacterial
Antibiofilm
Cytotoxicity
ESKAPE pathogens
Phytochemical
Multi-drug resistance
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-025-00799-2
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