Improving the Antibacterial and Biofilm properties of Urinary Catheters by Using Green Tea and Ziziphora Extracts

One of the main causes of urinary infections is the use of urinary catheters. Over time, the overuse of chemical antibiotics has made urinary bacteria become resistant to chemical antibiotic treatments. Therefore, the major challenge in hospitals is preventing urinary infection and finding a suitable replacement for chemical antibiotics.  In recent years, researchers have been studying the use of herbal medicines to replace antibiotics.

In this study, green tea and ziziphora herbal extracts have been used as antibacterial agents for making silicone coated latex Foley catheters antibacterial and antibiofilm agents with inoculation. Various tests such as disc diffusion, broth penetration, contact angle, FE-SEM, AFM, ATR-FTIR, and elasticity were performed.

After inoculation, disc diffusion test was performed on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, urinary infection agents, and the antibacterial property of the silicone coated latex catheters was verified. In the penetration broth test, the herbal antibacterial catheters could eliminate the bacteria after 21 days (P˂0.0001). The contact angle test showed an increase in the hydrophilic property of the modified catheter (p˂0.0002). The mechanical test suggests an increase in Young module. SEM test indicates a decrease in bacteria adherence to the catheter surface. AFM test shows an increase in the roughness of the surface after impregnation. The presence of extracts in catheters was verified by ATR-FTIR.

It can be said from the obtained results that medicinal herbs can be appropriate agents for the inoculation of urinary catheters and the reduction of urinary infections in hospitals. In fact, modified catheters with herbal extracts could eliminate all bacteria. In addition, herbal extracts could be a good replacement for chemical antibiotics. Finally, herbal extracts could increase surface hydrophilicity,   prevent bacteria adherence, and they have antibiofilm properties.