Antibiofilm effects of Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr. extracts on some microorganisms

Abstract

Biofilms, structured microbial communities, are a significant focus of research due to their nature as they provide protection against environmental stressors but also cause substantial medical and industrial problems. These communities, embedded in an extracellular matrix, are implicated in persistent infections, corrosion in infrastructure, and food spoilage, while also holding potential in beneficial applications like biofuel production and wastewater treatment. Consequently, there is growing interest in modulating biofilm formation, with natural products emerging as promising candidates. This study assessed the impact of Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr. extracts on some microorganisms. The impact of ethanol (EtOH) and chloroform extracts on biofilm formation was evaluated using crystal violet staining, with SEM and AFM imaging used for confirmation. A comprehensive chemical analysis of the extracts was performed via gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC/MS). The EtOH extract was found to contain compounds such as stearic acid and oleic acid, while the chloroform extract contained compounds like methyl stearate and octadecadienoic acid. The key finding was that the F. fomentariusEtOH extract significantly inhibited biofilm formation in S. aureus MRSA between 30.90-47.06%. The chloroform extract, however, showed no discernible effect on biofilm development. The effectiveness of the EtOH extract was compared using Halamid® as a positive control. Inhibition was observed for the S. aureus MRSA strain, as 54.21% with 125 μg/mL of the Halamid® concentration. This suggests that F. fomentarius extracts may offer a natural source of compounds with the potential to control and manage biofilm formation.