Antimicrobial Properties of Different Hop (Humulus lupulus) Genotypes

The antimicrobial activity of hop extracts obtained from different hop genotypes were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus acidophilus. In this study the pure xanthohumol, purified beta-acids rich fraction, as well as alpha-acids with beta-acids rich fraction were used to test antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus acidophilus; whereby, the antimicrobial activity of different hop extracts against Lactobacillus acidophilus was studied for the first time. Microbial susceptibility to purified hydroacetonic extracts from different hop varieties was investigated by the broth microdilution assay to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The hop hydroacetonic extracts were more effective against Staphylococcus aureus than against Lactobacillus acidophilus. Strong inverse correlations of MIC and MBC values were obtained with xanthohumol, cohumulone, n+adhumulone, colupulone and n+adlupulone contents, suggesting that the identified chemical hop compounds are directly responsible for antimicrobial effects. Moreover, the effect of the growth medium strength on the MIC values of hop extracts against Staphylococcus aureus was systematically investigated for the first time. The current study also reveals the effect of different hop extracts on Staphylococcus aureus, which responds to their presence by lag phase extension and generation time prolongation.