Evaluation of the anti-adhesion potential of Chamaerops humilis L. Seed extracts against Staphylococcus strains

This study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the anti-adhesive activity of Chamaerops humilis L. seed extracts, revealing their potent inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus strains. Bacterial cells were pretreated with aqueous extracts (decoction, infusion, and maceration) and organic extracts (acetone and methanol) at different concentrations and exposure times (5 min to 3 h) before their adhesion capacity was evaluated. Bacterial adhesion was visualized by Gram staining and quantified by microscopic image analysis using MATLAB software. The results showed a marked reduction in bacterial adhesion after treatment with the extracts, with surface coverage values decreasing to 0.04% compared to 20.18% for the untreated controls. Multifactorial statistical analysis revealed highly significant effects of exposure time, concentration, and extract type on bacterial adhesion (p < 0.001). The inhibitory effect was generally enhanced with increasing exposure time and concentration, although strain-dependent responses were observed. These results demonstrate that C. humilis seed extracts effectively target the early stages of bacterial adhesion and suggest their potential as alternative anti-biofilm agents, particularly in preventive strategies against Staphylococcus infections.