Antibacterial Activity of Plants in Cirsium: A Comprehensive Review

AbstractAs ethnic medicine, the whole grass of plants inCirsium was used as antimicrobial. This review focuses on the antimicrobial activity of plants inCirsium, including antimicrobial components, against different types of microbes and bacteriostatic mechanism. The results showed that the main antimicrobial activity components inCirsium plants were flavonoids, triterpenoids and phenolic acids, and the antimicrobial ability varied according to the species and the content of chemicals. Among them, phenolic acids showed a strong antibacterial ability againstAcinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, andEnterococcus faecium. The antibacterial mechanisms include: (1) damaging the cell membrane, cell walls, mitochondria and nucleus of bacteria; (2) inhibiting the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids; (3) suppressing the synthesis of enzymes for tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways and glycolysis, and then killing the bacteria via inhibition of energy production. Totally, most research results on antimicrobial activity ofCirsium plants are reported based onin vitro assays. The evidence from clinical data and comprehensive evaluation are needed.
Source: Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research