ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY OF VG111 AGAINST STENOTROPHOMONAS SEPILIA: A NOVEL APPROACH TO BIOFILM ERADICATION

• DOI: 10.37572/EdArt_3009263141

• Palavras-chave: Stenotrophomonas, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, wound infections, biofilm.

• Keywords: Stenotrophomonas, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, wound infections, biofilm.

• Abstract:

  Stenotrophomonas sepilia is a recently described member of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex (Smc) that is increasingly recognized in human infections. Since its first description in 2021, S. sepilia has been recovered from diverse clinical specimens and has emerged as an important clinical species, with increasing evidence of strong biofilm-forming capacity. Biofilm formation may contribute to persistence and reduced antimicrobial efficacy, highlighting the need for alternative or complementary strategies targeting established biofilms. VG111 is a polyherbal formulation developed originally as a wound-healing agent and subsequently shown to possess antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against several clinically important pathogens. This chapter reviews the available evidence regarding the activity of VG111 against S. sepilia, with particular emphasis on its effects on preformed biofilms. Clinical isolates of S. sepilia have demonstrated robust biofilm production, with the isolates evaluated by the Gautam and collaborating laboratories exhibiting a strong-biofilm phenotype. VG111 demonstrated concentration-dependent antibacterial activity against S. sepilia: 5% (v/v) substantially inhibited bacterial growth, whereas 10% (v/v) produced complete inhibition; an MIC of 2 mg/mL was also reported to completely inhibit growth. Importantly, VG-111 exhibited activity against established S. sepilia biofilms. Treatment with 25% (v/v) VG-111 significantly disrupted preformed biofilms, while concentrations ranging from 25% to 100% (v/v) were associated with reductions in biofilm-associated viable cells and total biomass. Collectively, these findings indicate that VG-111 possesses both antibacterial and biofilm-disrupting activity against S. sepilia and support its further investigation as a potential topical adjunctive strategy for biofilm-associated infections. Future studies should define the molecular basis of biofilm disruption, assess activity across genetically diverse clinical isolates, distinguish biofilm prevention from eradication, and establish formulation consistency, safety, and efficacy in appropriate in vivo and controlled clinical studies.