Inhibition of Adhesion and Biofilm Formation by Water Extracts of .

is difficult to treat and responsible for various infections in humans and pigs. It can also form biofilms and induce persistent infections. is a medicinal plant widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Although the inhibitory effects of on biofilm formation have been investigated in several studies, the ability of to inhibit biofilm formation and the underlying mechanisms have not yet been reported. In this study, we showed that sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (25 and 50 μg mL) of water extracts of ( C.Y.Cheng & P.K.Hsiao, obtained from Sichuan Province) were sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation, as shown in the tissue culture plate (TCP) method and scanning electron microscopy. Real-time PCR and iTRAQ were used to measure gene and protein expression in . Sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (25 and 50 μg mL) of water extracts inhibited adhesion significantly in an anti-adherence assay. Some genes, such as , , and , and proteins, such as antigen-like protein, CPS16V, and methyltransferase H, involved in adhesion were significantly modulated in cells treated with 50 μg mL of water extracts compared to untreated cells. The results from this study suggest that compounds in water extracts play an important role in inhibiting adhesion of cells and, therefore, biofilm formation.