Use of Haloxylon scoparium Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria from Urinary Tract Infections.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the urinary tract and the decrease in the efficacy of antibiotics prompted us to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Haloxylon scoparium against six isolated (MDR) bacteria. METHODS: Phenolic compound profiling of the extract of interest was performed by HPLC-DAD. Acute oral toxicity was tested in vivo. The antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was assessed against 23 antibiotics using the disk diffusion method. The identification of the isolates was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The antibacterial activity of the extract was assessed using agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) methods. RESULTS: Phenolic compound profiling of the extract revealed that epicatechin (85%) was the major compound. The extract also showed no symptoms of toxicity, adverse effects, or mortality in mice at the recommended dose. Overall, the extract at 200 µg/mL was effective against all isolates. The zones of inhibition ranged from 9.25 to 19.5 mm. Gram-positive S. aureus bacteria recorded the highest inhibitory effect with 19.5 mm against the five Gram-negative bacteria (9.25-17.25 mm). The MIC of the extracts against clinical isolates ranged from 50 to 100 µg/mL. The extract was bactericidal against S. aureus, E. coli, E. ludwigii, and K. pneumoniae with an MBC of 100, 100, 200, and 200 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results conclude that the extract could be an effective source of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of urinary tract infections caused by MDR bacteria.