Antimicrobial Effect of Vitamin C on Different Strains of E. Coli

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring the potential antimicrobial effects of Vitamin C, known for its antioxidant properties. However, an extensive investigation into the impact of Vitamin C on different strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) has been lacking. In this study, four distinct strains, including Enterotoxigenic, Enteroinvasive, Enteropathogenic, and Enteroaggregative E. coli were treated with three concentrations of Vitamin C (5, 10, and 20 mg/ml) to assess its antimicrobial properties. Following treatment, absorbance measurements were taken to evaluate the proliferation and viability of the E. coli strains. The results revealed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect across all E. coli strains. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect was exhibited by all E. coli strains with absorbance significantly decreasing from 0.310±0.082 (positive control with 0mg/ml Vitamin C) to a range of 0.102±0.017 to 0.107±0.015 (p<0.001) when treated with 20 mg/ml of Vitamin C. Despite the slight changes in absorbance, Vitamin C at a concentration of 5 mg/ml showed the most significant inhibitory effect from 0.310±0.082 to a range of 0.125±0.025 to 0.140±0.012 (p<0.001), indicating the potential of Vitamin C to inhibit the growth of different E. coli strains even at smaller concentrations. However, our results suggest the importance of strain-specific responses when assessing the antimicrobial efficacy of vitamin C. In conclusion, this study provides positive indications of the ability of Vitamin C to disrupt and reduce E. coli proliferation and viability. Nevertheless, further investigations are required to determine the optimal concentration in human-relevant setup and comprehensively elucidate the underlying mechanism of action.