Evaluation of antibacterial activity of hexanedioic acid isolated from Hermetia illucens larvae

Hermetia illucens larvae have been used in europe and america as a medical resource and medicinal insect for the treatment of skin damage such as burns and wound healing. this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of a new substance causing antibacterial activity against various pathogenic bacteria,including methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa). the antibacterial activity of hexanedioic acid was determined using different antimicrobial indicators such as turbidometric assay,resazurin assay,and agar disk diffu-sion. hexanedioic acid showed the selective-growth inhibitory effects against the growth and proliferation of staphylococcus aureus,mrsa,klebsiella pneumonia,and shigella dysenteriae in a concentration dependent manner. the growth inhibitory zones of bacteria treated with 80 mg/ml of hexanedioic acid for 24 h were measured as 18.27 ± 0.18,23.35 ± 0.15,16.62 ± 0.18,and 12.96 ± 0.24 mm,respectively. the minimum inhibitory concentration (mic) values of hexanedioic acid against the viability of these bacteria for 24 h were measured as 140.377,137.369,139.117,and 139.704 mg/ml,respectively. these results demonstrate that hexanedioic acid has antibacterial properties that effectively inhibit the growth/proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. furthermore,this study suggests novel aspects for the utiliza- tion of hexanedioic acid as a medicinal substance. © 2014 faculty of health and social studies,university of south bohemia in ceske budejovice. published by elsevier urban & partner sp. z o.o. all rights reserved.