Approaches towards microbial biofilm disruption by natural bioactive agents

Abstract

Biofilms formed by microbes are the aggregates of bacterial masses that are fixed in the matrix produced by itself comprising of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Microbial biofilms pose serious threat to the hospital-based infections as well as other types of infections. This is because biofilm provides highly enhanced protection and tolerance to the pathogens towards antimicrobial compounds. Moreover, the pathogen also survives the immune response of the host. This leads to extremely intractable, prolonged infections resulting in high tolls of morbidity and mortality. The fact that around 80% of human diseases are biofilm-based; the scientists have started to explore effective remedies to precisely aim at the disruption of biofilm, thus, diffusing the cells of microbes into their more susceptible planktonic type of life. With the advent of the significance of biofilm disruption to combat serious infections, various antibiofilm agents have been investigated for their efficacy. This includes some primary metabolites including complex carbohydrates, peptides and fats and various categories of secondary metabolites. Many enzymatic biofilm dispersal agents have also attracted the attention of those working in the given area. Other dispersal compounds include anti-matrix molecules, dispersal signals and sequestration molecules. These antibiofilm agents have shown high effectiveness in inhibiting clinically relevant pathogens. These biofilm dispersal agents will pave a way for a new approach towards future drug development for the treatment of clinically severe infections.