Microorganisms that cause chronic infections exist predominantly as surface-attached stable communities known as biofilms. Microbial cells in biofilms are highly resistant to conventional antibiotics and other forms of antimicrobial treatment; therefore, modern medicine tries to develop new drugs that exhibit anti-biofilm activity. We investigated the influence of a plant polyphenolic compound resveratrol (representative of the stilbene family) on the opportunistic pathogen Trichosporon cutaneum. Besides the influence on the planktonic cells of T. cutaneum, the ability to inhibit biofilm formation and to eradicate mature biofilm was studied. We have tested resveratrol as pure compound, as well as resveratrol in complex plant extract-the commercially available dietary supplement Regrapex-R-forte, which contains the extract of Vitis vinifera grape and extract of Polygonum cuspidatum root. Regrapex-R-forte is rich in stilbenes and other biologically active substances. Light microscopy imaging, confocal microscopy, and crystal violet staining were used to quantify and visualize the biofilm. The metabolic activity of biofilm-forming cells was studied by the tetrazolium salt assay. Amphotericin B had higher activity against planktonic cells; however, resveratrol and Regrapex-R-forte showed anti-biofilm effects, both in inhibition of biofilm formation and in the eradication of mature biofilm. The minimum biofilm eradicating concentration (MBEC80) for Regrapex-R-forte was found to be 2222 mg/L (in which resveratrol concentration is 200 mg/L). These methods demonstrated that Regrapex-R-forte can be employed as an anti-biofilm agent, as it has similar effect as amphotericin B (MBEC80 = 700 mg/L), which is routinely used in clinical practice.

Department of Biotechnology University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technická 5 166 28 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Dairy Fat and Cosmetics University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technická 5 166 28 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Technická 5 166 28 Prague Czech Republic

See more in PubMed

Trends Microbiol. 2001 Jan;9(1):34-9 PubMed

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2001 Jul;48 Suppl 1:5-16 PubMed

Fitoterapia. 2005 Mar;76(2):258-60 PubMed

J Med Food. 2006 Spring;9(1):11-4 PubMed

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2006 Oct;50(10):3269-76 PubMed

J Chromatogr A. 2006 Dec 1;1135(2):158-65 PubMed

J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Dec 12;55(25):10200-7 PubMed

J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2007 Aug;17(8):1324-9 PubMed

J Microbiol Methods. 2008 Feb;72(2):157-65 PubMed

Braz Dent J. 2008;19(4):364-9 PubMed

Mycoses. 2011 Jan;54(1):30-3 PubMed

Rejuvenation Res. 2009 Oct;12(5):321-31 PubMed

Toxicon. 2010 Aug 1;56(1):29-35 PubMed

Med Mycol. 2011 Apr;49(3):253-62 PubMed

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2012 Apr;23(2):174-81 PubMed

Clin Microbiol Rev. 2011 Oct;24(4):682-700 PubMed

Phytomedicine. 2012 Mar 15;19(5):409-12 PubMed

Front Microbiol. 2012 Aug 08;3:286 PubMed

Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Jul;69(7):1351-68 PubMed

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2013 Oct;16(5):580-9 PubMed

Biofouling. 2013;29(10):1189-203 PubMed

Phytomedicine. 2014 Feb 15;21(3):286-9 PubMed

Daru. 2014 Jan 07;22(1):12 PubMed

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Jul 16;62(28):6640-9 PubMed

Fitoterapia. 2014 Sep;97:78-86 PubMed

J Nat Prod. 2014 Jul 25;77(7):1658-62 PubMed

J Microbiol Methods. 2014 Oct;105:134-40 PubMed

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 31;9(10):e109553 PubMed

Curr Microbiol. 2015 Mar;70(3):383-9 PubMed

J Microbiol Methods. 2015 Nov;118:106-12 PubMed

Arch Oral Biol. 2017 Apr;76:76-83 PubMed

Clin Microbiol Rev. 1996 Oct;9(4):499-511 PubMed

Boswellia serrata Extract as an Antibiofilm Agent against Candida spp

Composition and Biological Activity of Vitis vinifera Winter Cane Extract on Candida Biofilm