Polygonum multiflorum, commonly known as Chinese Knotweed, is a tonic herb primarily used to enhance bodily functions. Recently, it has been shown to contain strong antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral activity. The extract from the roots of Chinese Knotweed was used to assess its antibacterial properties against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, including 5 Gram-positive (B. cereus, B. megaterium, S. epidermidis, S. mutans and S. pyogenes) and 4 Gram-negative (E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa). Microtiter assays were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Chinese Knotweed at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.5% concentrations in order to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Potential synergistic effect of Chinese Knotweed and various antibiotics was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk method. Possible anti-biofilm formation was studied using a Congo-red assay, and biofilm quantification was acquired through crystal violet assay. Finally, Chinese Knotweed was evaluated on the effects of inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium. The results suggest Chinese Knotweed contains strong antibacterial effects against all the bacteria tested in this study and the MIC was 2.5% for all. Chinese Knotweed also showed significant synergism with most of the antibiotics tested. In addition, anti-biofilm assay indicated that 1% Chinese Knotweed was sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation on most the bacteria, while 2% Chinese Knotweed was effective for inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium spores. Thus, Chinese Knotweed may serve as a novel compound in the treatment and management of bacterial infections and biofilm formation.
","abstract_html":"<p>Polygonum multiflorum, commonly known as Chinese Knotweed, is a tonic herb primarily used to enhance bodily functions. Recently, it has been shown to contain strong antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral activity. The extract from the roots of Chinese Knotweed was used to assess its antibacterial properties against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, including 5 Gram-positive (B. cereus, B. megaterium, S. epidermidis, S. mutans and S. pyogenes) and 4 Gram-negative (E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa). Microtiter assays were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Chinese Knotweed at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.5% concentrations in order to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Potential synergistic effect of Chinese Knotweed and various antibiotics was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk method. Possible anti-biofilm formation was studied using a Congo-red assay, and biofilm quantification was acquired through crystal violet assay. Finally, Chinese Knotweed was evaluated on the effects of inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium. The results suggest Chinese Knotweed contains strong antibacterial effects against all the bacteria tested in this study and the MIC was 2.5% for all. Chinese Knotweed also showed significant synergism with most of the antibiotics tested. In addition, anti-biofilm assay indicated that 1% Chinese Knotweed was sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation on most the bacteria, while 2% Chinese Knotweed was effective for inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium spores. Thus, Chinese Knotweed may serve as a novel compound in the treatment and management of bacterial infections and biofilm formation.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Demianicz, Andy S."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS Microbiology","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D","Angela V. Klaus, Ph.D","Daniel B. Nichols, Ph.D","Allan D. Blake, Ph.D","Jane L. Ko, Ph.D"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-05-16T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-05-16T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:32:59Z","subjects":["antibacterial","chinese knotweed","polygonum multiflorum","bacteria","Medical Microbiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2084","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D","Angela V. Klaus, Ph.D","Daniel B. Nichols, Ph.D","Allan D. Blake, Ph.D","Jane L. Ko, Ph.D"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Demianicz, Andy S."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-06-22T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS Microbiology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["antibacterial","chinese knotweed","polygonum multiflorum","bacteria","Medical Microbiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2084"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Polygonum multiflorum, commonly known as Chinese Knotweed, is a tonic herb primarily used to enhance bodily functions. Recently, it has been shown to contain strong antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral activity. The extract from the roots of Chinese Knotweed was used to assess its antibacterial properties against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, including 5 Gram-positive (B. cereus, B. megaterium, S. epidermidis, S. mutans and S. pyogenes) and 4 Gram-negative (E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa). Microtiter assays were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Chinese Knotweed at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.5% concentrations in order to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Potential synergistic effect of Chinese Knotweed and various antibiotics was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk method. Possible anti-biofilm formation was studied using a Congo-red assay, and biofilm quantification was acquired through crystal violet assay. Finally, Chinese Knotweed was evaluated on the effects of inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium. The results suggest Chinese Knotweed contains strong antibacterial effects against all the bacteria tested in this study and the MIC was 2.5% for all. Chinese Knotweed also showed significant synergism with most of the antibiotics tested. In addition, anti-biofilm assay indicated that 1% Chinese Knotweed was sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation on most the bacteria, while 2% Chinese Knotweed was effective for inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium spores. Thus, Chinese Knotweed may serve as a novel compound in the treatment and management of bacterial infections and biofilm formation.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Antibacterial Evaluation of Polygonum Multiflorum"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D","Angela V. Klaus, Ph.D","Daniel B. Nichols, Ph.D","Allan D. Blake, Ph.D","Jane L. Ko, Ph.D"],"dc:creator":["Demianicz, Andy S."],"dc:date.available":["2015-06-22T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Polygonum multiflorum, commonly known as Chinese Knotweed, is a tonic herb primarily used to enhance bodily functions. Recently, it has been shown to contain strong antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral activity. The extract from the roots of Chinese Knotweed was used to assess its antibacterial properties against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, including 5 Gram-positive (B. cereus, B. megaterium, S. epidermidis, S. mutans and S. pyogenes) and 4 Gram-negative (E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. vulgaris and P. aeruginosa). Microtiter assays were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Chinese Knotweed at 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.5% concentrations in order to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Potential synergistic effect of Chinese Knotweed and various antibiotics was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk method. Possible anti-biofilm formation was studied using a Congo-red assay, and biofilm quantification was acquired through crystal violet assay. Finally, Chinese Knotweed was evaluated on the effects of inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium. The results suggest Chinese Knotweed contains strong antibacterial effects against all the bacteria tested in this study and the MIC was 2.5% for all. Chinese Knotweed also showed significant synergism with most of the antibiotics tested. In addition, anti-biofilm assay indicated that 1% Chinese Knotweed was sufficient to inhibit biofilm formation on most the bacteria, while 2% Chinese Knotweed was effective for inhibiting sporulation and germination of B. megaterium spores. Thus, Chinese Knotweed may serve as a novel compound in the treatment and management of bacterial infections and biofilm formation.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2084"],"dc:subject":["antibacterial","chinese knotweed","polygonum multiflorum","bacteria","Medical Microbiology"],"dc:title":["Antibacterial Evaluation of Polygonum Multiflorum"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS Microbiology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:32:59Z"}