Purpose: To evaluate the antibacterial effect of ethanol extract of
Mentha arvensis
against multi-drug
resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS).
Methods: Disc diffusion and microdilution assays were used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of the
extract by measuring the zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and and minimum
bacteriocidal concentration (MBC) of the extract against the test bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) was employed to evaluate the morphological changes induced by the extract in cellular
membrane of the bacteria. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and protein leakage from the
bacterial cells induced by the extract were also evaluated.
Results: The extract showed dose-dependent growth inhibitory effects against
A. baumannii with MIC
and MBC of 23.5 and 72.1 μg/mL, respectively. The extract also induced potent ROS generation and
protein leakage in
A. baumannii bacterial cells. SEM findings revealed that the extract induced potential
cellular damage which increased with increasing extract concentration.
Conclusion: The ethanol extract of
Mentha arvensis is a potent antibacterial agent against
A. baumannii and acts by inducing lethal cellular damage to the bacterium.
