Najlaa Nabhan Yaseen✉, Shaymaa Suhail Najim, Heba Khaleel Tawfeeq
Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Al‑Jadriyah Campus, Baghdad 10071, Iraq
Received: Aug 2, 2025/ Revised: Aug 27, 2025/Accepted: Sept 03, 2025
(✉) Corresponding Author: najlaa.nabhan@sc.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Highlights
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Both Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates demonstrated strong biofilm-forming ability, individually and in combination.
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The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Syzygium aromaticum and Zingiber officinale extracts showed highly significant variation (p ≤ 0.001).
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Treatment with Syzygium aromaticum aqueous extract unexpectedly enhanced dual biofilm formation instead of inhibiting it.
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Zingiber officinale aqueous extract displayed a moderate inhibitory effect on dual biofilm formation.
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Overall, boiled aqueous extracts were unsuitable for dual biofilm control, while essential oils are suggested as more effective alternatives.
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii have a great concern due to their high capacity to cause diseases in addition to their capability to resist antibiotic treatments and its hospital environments persistence. Because of the high emergence of antibiotics resistance, treatments by alternatives should be applied to overcome this problem. Hence, this study aimed to determine the influence of Syzygium aromaticum and Zingiber officinale watery boiled extract on dual biofilm composed of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii. Both types of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii were obtained from Department of Biology at the College of Science which belongs to the University of Baghdad. General protocol of biofilm formation assay was accomplished for each bacterial type, then performing dual biofilm (bacteria in combination). Watery boiled extracts for each herb was prepared, and then the MIC of their extracts was determined, which was then added to the dual biofilm to detect their watery extracts at sub-MIC of these herbs. Results indicated that all tested isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii were strongly produced biofilm. There was a highly significant differences of MIC among tested herbs (p-values ≤ 0.001) and there was a significant differences between the effect of these herbs on dual biofilm. Syzygium aromaticum caused an increase in dual biofilm formation instead of inhibiting its formation rather than Zingiber officinale. It can be concluded that the watery boiled extracts of these tested herbs are unsuitable for dual biofilm inhibition or their related infections treatment and the usage of their essential oil is more effective.
Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Dual biofilm, Syzygium aromaticum and Zingiber officinale
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How to cite this article
Yaseen, N.N., Najim, S.S. Tawfeeq, H.K. (2025).Influence of Syzygium aromaticum and Zingiber officinale on dual biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii. Microbial Science Archives, Vol. 5 (3), 24-30. https://doi.org/10.47587/MSA.2025.5302
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