In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Glutamic acid (GLA) is an essential amino acid with a key role in human metabolism. A potential involvement in anticancer therapy and possible antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects were also observed. Glutamine (GLN) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are GLA s...

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Main Authors: Octavia-Laura Oancea, Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea, Anca Delia Mare, Adrian Man, Ruxandra Stefanescu, Aura Rusu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Antibiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/415
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author Octavia-Laura Oancea
Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea
Anca Delia Mare
Adrian Man
Ruxandra Stefanescu
Aura Rusu
author_facet Octavia-Laura Oancea
Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea
Anca Delia Mare
Adrian Man
Ruxandra Stefanescu
Aura Rusu
author_sort Octavia-Laura Oancea
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Glutamic acid (GLA) is an essential amino acid with a key role in human metabolism. A potential involvement in anticancer therapy and possible antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects were also observed. Glutamine (GLN) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are GLA structural derivatives for which the last two effects were evaluated, with contradictory results. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the antibacterial activity and the influence on the biofilm formation of GLA, GLN, MSG, and glutamic acid diethyl ester (GLADE) on clinically relevant bacteria. <b>Methods</b>: Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial reference strains were used to test the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of GLA, GLN, MSG, and GLADE. The antibacterial properties were assessed by detecting the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The influence on biofilm formation was assessed by the crystal violet method, reading the optical densities (ODs) by spectrophotometry. <b>Results</b>: GLN did not demonstrate an inhibitory capacity at the maximum tested concentration (2.86 mg/mL); GLA showed inhibitory activity at 1.76 mg/mL and 0.88 mg/mL; MSG inhibited the growth of all bacterial strains at 112 mg/mL; GLADE had the most promising results on all bacterial strains (MICs of 12.75 mg/mL and 25.5 mg/mL). GLADE showed satisfactory MBC values on all bacterial strains (at 51 mg/mL and 25.5 mg/mL). <b>Conclusions</b>: GLA and some structural analogues are attractive options for possible antibacterial activity; optimizing GLADE to increase its antibacterial activity could be a new approach.
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spelling doaj-art-e61b32b1543c4e0f9a0f38a9280fa80e2025-08-20T03:14:23ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-04-0114441510.3390/antibiotics14040415In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural AnaloguesOctavia-Laura Oancea0Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea1Anca Delia Mare2Adrian Man3Ruxandra Stefanescu4Aura Rusu5Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaMicrobiology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaMicrobiology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaMicrobiology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaPharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, RomaniaPharmaceutical and Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Glutamic acid (GLA) is an essential amino acid with a key role in human metabolism. A potential involvement in anticancer therapy and possible antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects were also observed. Glutamine (GLN) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are GLA structural derivatives for which the last two effects were evaluated, with contradictory results. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the antibacterial activity and the influence on the biofilm formation of GLA, GLN, MSG, and glutamic acid diethyl ester (GLADE) on clinically relevant bacteria. <b>Methods</b>: Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial reference strains were used to test the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of GLA, GLN, MSG, and GLADE. The antibacterial properties were assessed by detecting the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The influence on biofilm formation was assessed by the crystal violet method, reading the optical densities (ODs) by spectrophotometry. <b>Results</b>: GLN did not demonstrate an inhibitory capacity at the maximum tested concentration (2.86 mg/mL); GLA showed inhibitory activity at 1.76 mg/mL and 0.88 mg/mL; MSG inhibited the growth of all bacterial strains at 112 mg/mL; GLADE had the most promising results on all bacterial strains (MICs of 12.75 mg/mL and 25.5 mg/mL). GLADE showed satisfactory MBC values on all bacterial strains (at 51 mg/mL and 25.5 mg/mL). <b>Conclusions</b>: GLA and some structural analogues are attractive options for possible antibacterial activity; optimizing GLADE to increase its antibacterial activity could be a new approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/415glutamic acidmonosodium glutamateglutamineglutamic acid diethyl esteramino acidsantibacterial effect
spellingShingle Octavia-Laura Oancea
Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea
Anca Delia Mare
Adrian Man
Ruxandra Stefanescu
Aura Rusu
In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
Antibiotics
glutamic acid
monosodium glutamate
glutamine
glutamic acid diethyl ester
amino acids
antibacterial effect
title In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
title_full In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
title_fullStr In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
title_full_unstemmed In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
title_short In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effect and Influence on the Bacterial Biofilm Formation of Glutamic Acid and Some Structural Analogues
title_sort in vitro evaluation of the antibacterial effect and influence on the bacterial biofilm formation of glutamic acid and some structural analogues
topic glutamic acid
monosodium glutamate
glutamine
glutamic acid diethyl ester
amino acids
antibacterial effect
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/415
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