Attenuation of quorum sensing regulated virulence functions and biofilm of pathogenic bacteria by medicinal plant Artemisia annua and its phytoconstituent 1, 8-cineole

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) in bacterial pathogens is a serious public health concern. A significant therapeutic target for MDR infections is the quorum sensing-regulated bacterial pathogenicity. Determining the anti-quorum sensing abilities of certain medicinal plants against bacterial pathogens as well as the in-silico interactions of particular bioactive phytocompounds with QS and biofilm-associated proteins were the objectives of the present study. In this study, 6 medicinal plants were selected based on their ethnopharmacological usage, screened for Anti-QS activity and Artemisia annua leaf extract (AALE) demonstrated pigment inhibitory activity against Chromobacterium violaceum CV12472. Further, the methanol active fraction significantly inhibited the virulence factors (pyocyanin, pyoverdine, rhamnolipid and swarming motility) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Serratia marcescens MTCC 97 at respective sub-MICs. The inhibition of biofilm was determined using a microtiter plate test and scanning electron microscopy. Biofilm formation was impaired by 70%, 72% and 74% in P. aeruginosa, C. violaceum and S. marcescens, respectively at 0.5xMIC of the extract. The phytochemical content of the extract was studied using GC–MS and 1, 8-cineole was identified as major bioactive compound. Furthermore, 1, 8-cineole was docked with quorum sensing (QS) proteins (LasI, LasR, CviR, and rhlR) and biofilm proteins (PilY1 and PilT). In silico docking and dynamics simulations studies suggested interactions with QS-receptors CviR’, LasI, LasR, and biofilm proteins PilY1, PilT for anti-QS activity. Further, 1, 8-cineole demonstrated 66% and 51% reduction in violacein production and biofilm formation, respectively to validate the findings of computational analysis. Findings of the present investigation suggests that 1, 8-cineole plays a crucial role in the QS and biofilm inhibitory activity demonstrated by Artemisia annua extract. Research Highlights: Artemisia annua leaf extract (AALE) methanol fraction demonstrated broad-spectrum QS and biofilm inhibition Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed biofilm inhibition Molecular docking and simulation studies suggested positive interactions of 1,8-cineol with QS-receptors and biofilm proteins