Eugenol-Mediated Inhibition of Biofilm Formed by S. aureus: a Potent Organism for Pediatric Digestive System Diseases.

Ocimum tenuiflorum (KT) is a common ethnobotanical plant of Southeast Asia. The ethnic communities of these regions use the various parts of the plants, especially the leaves, for the treatment of various ailments like cold and flu, chronic infections, and surface ailments. The leaves of these plants are consumed to act as immune boosters in the body. With this ethnical background, we performed the antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential of the methanolic extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum against biofilm formed by S. aureus biofilm. The biofilm formed by S. aureus is a potent cause for the development of gastrointestinal (GI)-associated chronic infection. The extract from the KT leaf was analyzed using UV spectroscopy and HPLC to confirm the presence of the active ingredients present within the extract. The HPLC and GC-MS studies revealed the presence of eugenol and linalool in a greater proportion having the maximum drug-like properties. It was observed that KT showed maximum inhibition of biofilms, proteins, and carbohydrates being present with the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Interestingly, the maximum inhibition to the quorum sensing (QS) and the genomic DNA, RNA content was reduced by eugenol and linalool in comparison to the plant extract. The studies were supported by in silico interaction between eugenol and linalool with the QS proteins of S. aureus. The studies were further confirmed with microscopic studies SEM and FCM. The IR studies also confirmed much reduction in biofilm when treated with eugenol, linalool, and KT with respect to the untreated sample.