Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
Abstract
Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is a significant pathogen responsible for various infections. It has shown increasing resistance to multiple antibiotics, with persister cell formation playing a crucial role in recurrent infections. Scrophularia striata Boiss., a medicinal plant known for its antimicrobial properties, is assessed in this study for its potential to eliminate persister cells derived from S. aureus. Materials & Methods: The identification and confirmation of bacterial strains, as well as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests, were performed according to CLSI, 2022. Rifampin (640 μg/mL; 40×MIC) and ampicillin (100 μg/mL) were used to trigger persister cell formation from methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MRSA and MSSA). The effect of S. striata extract on the persister cells and the Caco-2 cell line (cytotoxic effect) was evaluated. Results:The MIC of rifampin for MRSA and MSSA was 8 µg/mL and 16 µg/mL, respectively. The 25 mg/mL and 400 mg/mL concentrations of S. striata extract had the lowest and the highest effects on the elimination of MRSA and MSSA persister cells, respectively. Moreover, the 400 mg/mL concentration of S. striata extract had the highest effect on inhibiting the growth of Caco-2 cells. Conclusion: As an alternative and novel therapeutic option to traditional antibiotics, the S. striata extract may be useful in combating S. aureus persister cells as well as the cancer cells. Due to the difficulties associated with the eradication of persister cells, which may lead to untreatable persistent infections and pose a serious challenge to medicine, this finding is encouraging; however, more studies are required to confirm and generalize the results.
Bakhti, S. , Ahmadi, M. Hossein and Owlia, P. (2026). Elimination of Persister Cells Originating From Staphylococcus aureus by Scrophularia striata Boiss. Extract. Archives of Razi Institute, 81(4), 893-900. doi: 10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
MLA
Bakhti, S. , , Ahmadi, M. Hossein, and Owlia, P. . "Elimination of Persister Cells Originating From Staphylococcus aureus by Scrophularia striata Boiss. Extract", Archives of Razi Institute, 81, 4, 2026, 893-900. doi: 10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
HARVARD
Bakhti, S., Ahmadi, M. Hossein, Owlia, P. (2026). 'Elimination of Persister Cells Originating From Staphylococcus aureus by Scrophularia striata Boiss. Extract', Archives of Razi Institute, 81(4), pp. 893-900. doi: 10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
CHICAGO
S. Bakhti , M. Hossein Ahmadi and P. Owlia, "Elimination of Persister Cells Originating From Staphylococcus aureus by Scrophularia striata Boiss. Extract," Archives of Razi Institute, 81 4 (2026): 893-900, doi: 10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
VANCOUVER
Bakhti, S., Ahmadi, M. Hossein, Owlia, P. Elimination of Persister Cells Originating From Staphylococcus aureus by Scrophularia striata Boiss. Extract. Archives of Razi Institute, 2026; 81(4): 893-900. doi: 10.32598/ARI.81.4.3768
)