Phytochemical screening and anti-virulence properties of Ceiba pentandra and Ceiba aesculifolia (Malvaceae) bark extracts and fractions

Background: Inhibition of quorum sensing systems (QSS-I) is a novel strategy in the treatment of bacterial infections. To date, plants are the major source of metabolites with this inhibitory activity. Thus, species of Mexican flora can be important resources for obtaining metabolites with QSS-I activity.Hypothesis: We hypothesized that extracts from species of the genus Ceiba have metabolites with inhibitory activity against bacterial quorum sensing systems.Species studied: Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. and Ceiba aesculifolia (Kunth) Britten & Baker f. (Malvaceae).Study site and years of study: We collected Ceiba bark in the municipalities of Tierra Blanca, Veracruz, and Acatlan, Oaxaca, in August 2013.Methods: We determined the effect of extracts from C. aesculifolia and C. pentandra against QSS-regulated phenotypes of Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Extracts were fractionated and the main metabolites were identified. As support in the identification of the species, we carried out an anatomical study of the bark.Results: Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of both species of Ceiba exhibited QSS-I activity. We identified four fractions rich in terpene and sterol compounds with the ability to attenuate virulence factors in P. aerugiosa. The histological analysis appears to support the presence of some differences in the barks that can facilitate identification of the two species.Conclusions: The extracts and fractions of the two species of Ceiba are sources of phytochemicals with the ability to regulate bacterial quorum sensing systems positively or negatively. Antecedentes: la inhibición de los sistemas de percepción de quórum (I-SPQ) es una nueva estrategia en el tratamiento de infecciones bacterianas. Hasta la fecha, las plantas son la principal fuente de metabolitos con esta actividad inhibidora. Por lo tanto, las especies de flora mexicana pueden ser fuentes importantes para obtener metabolitos con actividad I-SPQ.Hipótesis: los extractos de especies del género Ceiba tienen metabolitos con actividad inhibidora contra los sistemas de percepción de quórum bacteriano.Especies estudiadas: Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. y Ceiba aesculifolia (Kunth) Britten & Baker f. (Malváceas).Lugar de estudio y años de estudio: Recolectamos las cortezas de Ceiba en los municipios de Tierra Blanca, Veracruz y Acatlán, Oaxaca, en agosto de 2013.Métodos: Determinamos el efecto de extractos de C. aesculifolia y C. pentandra contra fenotipos regulados por