Evidence and Potential Antibacterial Mechanism of Chinese Traditional Medicine Compounds for the Development of <i>E. coli</i>

Abstract

Astragalus membranaceus ( huangqi ), Allium sativum ( garlic ), Cinnamomum cassia ( cinnamon ), and Dolichos lablab L. ( white hyacinth bean ) are the traditional Chinese herbs that were used in prescriptions in treating diarrhea cause d by bacterial infection. These herbs are relatively safe for use and investigation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Astragalus membrana ceus , Allium sativum , Cinnamomum cassia , and Dolichos lablab L. on the metabolism of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) . The growth rate of E. coli was monitored under the influence of each herb, revealing that Astragalus membranaceus and Allium sativum exhibited significant antibacterial activity, whereas Cinnamomum cassia and Dolichos lablab L. demonstrated moderate inhibitory effects on E. coli growth. Further inhibition zone testing allowed for the evaluation of each herb’s potency and the number of generations required for E. coli to develop resistance. Additionally, the impact of the four herbs on the expression of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) in E. coli was examined by using qPC R. The findings revealed that Astragalus membranaceus acted as a sustainable bactericide by inhibiting the growth and metabolism of E. coli MG1655 through the suppression of OmpA expression. These results suggest that Astragalus membranaceus has potential as a natural antimicrobial agent for treating E. coli infections.