Sameh Hidouri, Amel Azaza, Ines Taieb, Abdallah Fraj, and Kheiria Hcini

The misuse or excessive use of antibiotics in several fields, such as agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industries and medicine leads to the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria and the evolution of antimicrobial resistance genes with serious consequences on human health. Historically, mulberry has been effectively used as a traditional medicine in Asia for the treatment of various infectious and internal diseases. It is a rich source of bioactive compounds that can promote human healthy life. This study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Tunisian cultivated mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves aqueous extract (MLAE). The antibacterial activity of MLAE was evaluated by micro-dilution method and the anti-biofilm effect was assessed using a crystal violet test against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and two Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus). The mulberry leaf extracts revealed significant antibacterial activity against all bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) varied between 2.03 and 16.25 mg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranged from 8.12 to 32.5 mg/mL. Also, the mulberry extracts exhibited a great ability of biofilm formation inhibition as well as the eradication of the pre-installed biofilm against all tested bacterial strains. The results showed that mulberry leaves extract has an effective potential as natural antibacterial and seemed to be useful in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food industries with beneficial properties to human health. Therefore, supplementing a balanced diet with mulberryleaves extract may have beneficial health effects.

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