Red bayberry extract inhibits growth and virulence gene expression of the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae

"In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism behind bayberry treatment of cholera described in ancient Chinese medicine. We found that an extract derived from a simple and rapid extraction of bayberry fruits could repress V. cholerae virulence gene expression at low concentrations and inhibit V. cholerae growth at high concentrations. Intriguingly, this bayberry extract did not inhibit or kill many non-pathogenic bacteria tested, including Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis (data not shown). The narrow-spectrum bactericidal activity of the bayberry extract may thus preserve normal intestinal flora during treatment."

[link to jac.oxfordjournals.org]