Virginia Research Day 2025

Medical Student Research Biomedical

24 The Antimicrobial Effects of Dragon’s Blood on Select Gram Positive Bacteria

Romina Boortalary; Sohum Patel; Antonio Balducci; James Lee; Shantanu Rastogi; S. Grant Carter; James Mahaney, PhD; Teresa Johnson, PhD Corresponding author: rboortalary@vcom.edu

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus

are responsible for numerous pathologies including infective endocarditis, urinary tract infections, wound infections, and other infectious processes. Notably, strains of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. faecalis have also been shown to have levels of antibiotic resistance, making infections with these drug-resistant strains harder to treat. Antibiotics are widely used to treat infections around the world. However, a consequence of the use of these medications is the emergence of drug-resistant organisms. New antibiotics are not currently being developed, therefore the treatment options for S. aureus and Enterococcus are limited which makes them a priority. For this reason, we propose to investigate the physiological effects of Dragon's Blood on these Gram-positive bacteria. We will culture each bacterium in the presence of serial dilutions of the sap

to compare the capacity of Dragon’s Blood to inhibit growth for the bacteria tested, comparing growth to bacteria grown in the absence of the sap. Additionally, we will specifically determine whether the effects of Dragon’s Blood are bacteriostatic or bactericidal in nature. Bacteriostatic activity would prevent the growth of the Gram-positive organisms when the sap is present, while bactericidal effects would kill the bacteria. Demonstration of the capacity of Dragon’s Blood to inhibit the growth of multiple Gram-positive bacteria will be the first step in development of a new broadly effective therapy for antibiotic-resistant organisms. Future experiments will involve identification of the active components of fractionated sap.

Croton lechleri is a medium-sized tree native to Peru and Ecuador, renowned for its sap, known as Dragon’s Blood. Historically, this vibrant sap has been utilized in various applications, including as a paint, varnish, and herbal remedy for wound healing as well as digestive issues. Due to its historical applications as an herbal remedy, there has been a growing interest in its effects on infectious diseases. This natural sap is believed to have many different physiological properties, including antimicrobial effects. The Johnson lab has previously shown that Dragon’s Blood sap inhibits the growth of the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus . We will expand these findings by growing the Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis . These specific organisms hold clinical significance as they

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