The Efficacy of Demethoxycurcumin from Tumeric (Curcuma longa) in Combating Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm on Catheters

The formation of biofilms on catheters, particularly by Staphylococcus aureus, is a major cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs), contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. This study explores the efficacy of demethoxycurcumin, a compound derived from Curcuma longa, as a potential antibiofilm agent against S. aureus. The results showed that demethoxycurcumin at a 1% concentration effectively inhibited S. aureus biofilm on catheters, with an inhibition rate of 81.72%± 0.01 in the mid-phase (24 hours), 61.48%± 0.01 in the maturation phase (48hours), and 60.16%±0.01 in the eradication phase (6 days), comparable to chloramphenicol as a positive control. Although its effectiveness decreased in the later biofilm phases, it consistently inhibited over 50%, demonstrating its potential as an antibiofilm agent. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that demethoxycurcumin disrupted biofilm structure and reduced bacterial adhesion. These findings suggest that demethoxycurcumin could be developed into a novel therapeutic agent for preventing and treating biofilm-related infections on medical devices, particularly in catheterized patients.