Orenburg state university

Orenburg Plants Against Infections

For the first time in the world OSU scientists suggested to create anti-infective preparations from medical plants directed against chemical communication between microorganisms.

Project of Anna Tolmacheva "Resource Potential of Orenburg Region Medicinal Plants as Sources of New Class Compounds — Inhibitors of Quorum-Sensing Bacterium System" was supported on the regional level. The scientist explained that bacterial cells exist in association of similar cells and use complex systems of intercellular chemical communication — Quorum sensing (QS) — for better adaptation to changing conditions of the environment.

QS controls many important processes of microorganisms life activity including significant for biomedicine elaboration of virulence factors (ability to infect), antibiotic resistance and biofilms formation (variety of microorganisms attached to each other on a surface).

— The group of young scientists experimentally studied Orenburg Region’ medicinal plants as sources of new class compounds suppressing a stream of bacteria physiological and physio-chemical processes, — Anna told. — Twenty medicinal plants of Orenburg Region used in traditional medicine for treatment and prevention of infectious diseases were chosen: yarrow, bearberry, birch, beggar-ticks, calendula, celandine, cowberry, juniper, ledum, camomile, plantain, oak, briar, sage, dandelion, coltsfoot, violet and others. Powder is obtained from herbal infusions, on the basis of which solutions of necessary concentrations were made for testing on pure cultures of microorganisms and for chromatography (study of physical and chemical properties). The studied bio-probes were sustained twenty four hours in thermostat at the temperature of +28°C, then direct antibacterial effect was registered in the form of transparent zones with total absence of this culture growth; but the anti-QS effect (absence of communications between cells) was determined by colorless (viable) areolas.

The scientists examined medicinal plants in terms of use against bacterial infections caused by microorganisms with QS-dependent pathogenicity systems.

— The novelty of research consists in determination of the most effective compositions of complete extracts from medical plants, which considerably supplement activity of each other in such complex, — Anna Tolmacheva noted.

Development of medications in the form of liquids, pills and salves will be carried out during next three years. It is possible to create medications from clean plants compounds or chemically received analogues to eliminate allergy or other side effects by patients.

— At the present time nobody tried to combine effective medical plants for fight against chemical communication of bacteria — young scientist from OSU tells, — and there is a wrong opinion of pharmacology that one plant has only one active component. We have proved that it’s not the case!