Evaluation of Anti-Quorum-Sensing Activity of Edible Plants and Fruits through Inhibition of the N-Acyl-Homoserine Lactone System in <i>Chromobacterium violaceum</i> and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>

<i>Background:</i> To find out an alternative strategy to antibiotic usage against bacterial infection. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The purpose of this study is to describe the quorum-sensing (QS) inhibitory activity of edible plants and fruits against N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated violacein production in <i>Chromobacterium violaceum</i> and virulence factor expression in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> PAO1. <i>Results:</i> Aqueous extracts of <i>Ananas comosus </i>(Bromeliaceae), <i>Musa paradiciaca </i>(Musaceae), <i>Manilkara zapota</i> (Sapotaceae) and <i>Ocimum sanctum</i> (Lamiaceae) were prepared and anti-QS activity of each extract was tested against AHL-mediated phenotypic expressions of <i>C. violaceum</i> and PAO1. Most of these extracts showed significant reduction in AHL-mediated violacein production in <i>C. violaceum </i>as well as pyocyanin pigment, staphylolytic protease, elastase production and biofilm formation in PAO1. However, these extracts were not inhibitory to bacterial growth, revealing that the QS inhibition by the extracts is not related to static or killing effects on the bacteria. <i>Conclusions:</i> The present study identified the anti-QS activity of <i>A. comosus</i>, <i>M. paradiciaca</i>, <i>M. zapota</i> and <i>O. sanctum.</i> An AHL-inactivating compound from these plant sources can be used as an alternative to antibiotic compounds to prevent AHL-mediated bacterial infection in higher organisms.