Unveiling the antimicrobial, biofilm inhibition, and photoprotective potential of Bupleurum falcatum L. for dermatological applications

Authors

  • Mirjana Milinković Srećković Clinic of Dermatovenereology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Pasterova 2, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, dr Subotića starijeg 8, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8888-5453
  • Jovana Petrović Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11108 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9016-9971
  • Marija Ivanov Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11108 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2480-5490
  • Uroš Gašić Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11108 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5384-8396
  • Milena Milivojević Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, PO Box 23, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1938-8020
  • Danijela Stanisavljević Ninković Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, PO Box 23, 11010 Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0481-4004
  • Dejan Stojkovic Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11108 Belgrade, Serbia. E-mail: dejanbio@ibiss.bg.ac.rs https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4159-1471

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8344

Keywords:

Bupleurum falcatum, skin infections, biofilm, cytotoxicity, photoprotective effect

Abstract

Bupleurum falcatum L. is known for its therapeutic properties, especially in treating fever, inflammation, and infectious diseases. However, its potential for dermatological applications remains mainly unexplored. Thus, the present study explores antimicrobial potential of B. falcatum against biofilm-associated infections, antibiotic-resistant strains, and UV-induced skin damage. This aligns with the growing interest in natural products as sources of bioactive compounds with skin-protecting features. Herein, we employed maceration (M) and ultra-sound-assisted extraction (USA) at 50 Hz and 100 Hz (USA 50 and USA 100) to obtain extracts from aerial parts of the plant. Chemical profiling was performed using UHPLC. Antimicrobial activity, biofilm inhibition, EPS and eDNA production were assessed using microdilution test, crystal violet, Congo red, and eDNA assays, respectively. Cytotoxicity and photoprotective effects were evaluated on human keratinocytes using the MTT assay. Chemical analysis identified 64 compounds, including benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoid glycosides, and saikosaponins. Extracts showed strong antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC as low as 0.5 mg/mL). The M extract displayed moderate biofilm inhibition and reduced eDNA production. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed safety on keratinocytes, while M and USA 100 extracts demonstrated photoprotective effects. B. falcatum extracts showed promising potential in addressing biofilm-associated infections, antibiotic resistance, and UV-induced skin damage.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2025-07-11

How to Cite

Milinković Srećković, M., Petrović, J., Ivanov, M., Gašić, U., Milivojević, M., Stanisavljević Ninković, D., & Stojkovic, D. (2025). Unveiling the antimicrobial, biofilm inhibition, and photoprotective potential of Bupleurum falcatum L. for dermatological applications. EXCLI Journal, 24, 779–796. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8344

Issue

Vol. 24 (2025)

Section

Original articles

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Mirjana Milinković Srećković, Jovana Petrović, Marija Ivanov, Uroš Gašić, Milena Milivojević, Danijela Stanisavljević Ninković, Dejan Stojkovic

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:

  • The authors keep the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, CC BY 4.0. This licencse permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
  • The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.
  • Because the advice and information in this journal are believed to be true and accurate at the time of publication, neither the authors, the editors, nor the publisher accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions presented in the publication. The publisher makes no guarantee, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
  • The authors can enter into additional contracts for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version by citing the initial publication in this journal (e.g. publishing in an institutional repository or in a book).

Most read articles by the same author(s)