Antifungal activity of a postbiotic cell-free supernatant of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum from Pulicaria jaubertii against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans.

Authors

Faisal Mohammed Abdul Al-Nihmi, Emad Abdu Ali Alserkal

Published in

BMC complementary medicine and therapies. Jul 04, 2026. Epub Jul 04, 2026.

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of antifungal resistance necessitates the exploration of novel therapeutic agents from natural reservoirs. Bacteria derived from medicinal plants serve as an underexploited repository of biologically active secondary metabolites. This study investigated the chemical profile and antifungal potential of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) derived from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) strain isolated from the medicinal plant Pulicaria jaubertii (P. jaubertii) (Asteraceae) in Yemen.
L. plantarum was isolated from surface-sterilized leaves of P. jaubertii and cultured to obtain CFSs. The chemical composition of the CFS was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Antifungal efficacy was evaluated against clinically significant isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) using agar incorporation and agar well-diffusion methods, respectively.
FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that the CFS is a complex mixture containing functional groups of organic acids, peptides, and carbohydrates. It exhibited dose-dependent antifungal activity, achieving 71.9% and 90.0% growth inhibition against A. fumigatus and C. albicans, respectively, at 30% (v/v). Notably, a sharp increase in efficacy occurred between 20 and 25% (v/v). We hypothesize that this threshold effect may reflect a multi-mechanistic mode of action, potentially driven by the interplay between the acidic and peptidic constituents.
These findings underscore the potential of L. plantarum CFS as a promising, sustainable source of multicomponent antifungal agents. This study highlights the value of integrating plant biodiversity with microbial chemistry to develop postbiotic interventions that address critical fungal challenges.

PMID:
42401890
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Jul 2026.

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