Anti-biofilm Bioactivity of Propolis Essential Oil on Multi-resistant Strains of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and E. coli

Comoé Koffi Donatien Benie *

Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, University of Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology (LMBM), University of Nangui-Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Institut Pasteur of Côte d'Ivoire (IPCI), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Solange AKA-GBEZO

Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology (LMBM), University of Nangui-Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Amin Paulin Yapi

Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, University of Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Kraidy Athanase Otchoumou

Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, University of Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Moussa Nonka

Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology (LMBM), University of Nangui-Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Adjaratou Traore

Department of Medical Sciences, University of Alassane Ouattara, University Hospital Center (UHC) of Bouaké, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.

Aya Carole Bonny

Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, University of Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Nohya Delvina Okondza

Denis Sassou Nguesso University, Laboratory of Human Nutrition and Quality Control, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

Dissinviel Stéphane Kpoda

University Center of Ziniare/Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Koua Atobla

Department of Biosciences, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, University of Félix Houphouët Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology (LMBM), University of Nangui-Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Nathalie Guessennd

Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Institut Pasteur of Côte d'Ivoire (IPCI), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Adjéhi Dadie

Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology (LMBM), University of Nangui-Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Several multidrug-resistant bacterial strains use biofilm formation to evade antimicrobial therapies. This study aimed to characterise the anti-biofilm bioactivity of Propolis essential oil against multidrug-resistant strains. A total of ninety (90) strains, including S. aureus (30), E. coli (30), and P. aeruginosa (30), from clinical and food sources, were included in this study. The antibacterial activity of Propolis essential oil and the resistance profile were determined using the Muller Hinton agar diffusion method. The phenotypic detection of biofilms and the anti-biofilm activity of Propolis essential oil were performed using the tube method. In P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, the respective resistance to ceftazidime, cefepime, and imipenem in clinical strains (16.2%; 25.7%; 32.8%) was twice that in food strains (7.3%; 13%; 16.1%). Resistance to aztreonam in clinical (78.1%) and foodborne (16.1%) P. aeruginosa strains was greater than 60%. All clinical (9.4% to 33.7%) and foodborne (8.2% to 31.3%) E. coli strains exhibited virtually the same levels of antibiotic resistance. Propolis essential oil showed bactericidal (E. coli and S. aureus) and bacteriostatic (P. aeruginosa) activity against both foodborne and clinical strains. Median biofilm formation ranged from 0.7 ± 0.3 to 1.2 ± 0.4 (clinical strains) and from 0.7 ± 0.3 to 0.9 ± 0.3 (foodborne strains). The significant reduction in cell adhesion in clinical and foodborne S. aureus and E. coli strains ranged from 32.3% to 84.8% (P < 0.01). A significant increase exceeding 100% (109.3% to 142.7%) (P < 0.01) was observed in foodborne P. aeruginosa with Propolis oil at concentrations between 0.1% and 0.5%. Between 0.1% and 1% Propolis oil, this increase ranged from 94.2% to 98.8% in clinically sourced P. aeruginosa strains. This study demonstrates the potential of Propolis oil in combating bacterial biofilms.

Keywords: Biofilm, anti-biofilm activity, propolis essential oil, multidrug resistance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration, clinical and foodborne isolates


How to Cite

Benie, Comoé Koffi Donatien, Solange AKA-GBEZO, Amin Paulin Yapi, Kraidy Athanase Otchoumou, Moussa Nonka, Adjaratou Traore, Aya Carole Bonny, et al. 2026. “Anti-Biofilm Bioactivity of Propolis Essential Oil on Multi-Resistant Strains of P. Aeruginosa, S. Aureus and E. Coli”. Microbiology Research Journal International 36 (9):14-27. https://doi.org/10.9734/mrji/2026/v36i91780.

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