Pyrogallol impairs staphylococcal biofilm formation via induction of bacterial oxidative stress

Abstract Aims To examine the effect of the phenolic compound pyrogallol on staphylococcal biofilm formation. Methods and results In crystal violet biofilm assays, pyrogallol-reduced biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984, Staph. epidermidis NRRL-B41021, Staphylococcus aureus USA300, and Staph. aureus Newman, without significantly impairing bacterial viability. Pyrogallol-mediated impairment of biofilm formation was likely due to induction of bacterial oxidative stress, as its effect was greater in catalase-deficient versus WT Staph. aureus, and biofilm production was rescued by exogenous catalase. The effect of pyrogallol on staphylococcal biofilm formation mirrored that of the known oxidant hydrogen peroxide, which also reduced biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions Pyrogallol reduces biofilm formation in S. aureus and Staph. epidermidis in a mechanism involving induction of bacterial oxidative stress.