Langmuir monolayers were used as a model system to investigate how elderberry functions as an antibacterial. Elderberry extract and Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside (C3G), the most common anthocyanin found in elderberries, were investigated. Elderberry has been used since folk medicine to treat the common cold and flu and recent studies show that C3G has antibacterial properties but the interactions occurring between with the cellular membrane is not clear. Additionally, C3G is chemically unstable due to its environment and pH. C3G has minimal surface activity but can be introduced to a lipid monolayer via the Langmuir monolayer technique to determine how it affects the organization of the lipids. These model systems will help deduce the mechanism by which the chemical components of Elderberry interact with cellular membranes. The lipids used in this study include <i>E. coli </i> lipid extract to serve as a model of gram-negative bacteria, and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE), both common cellular membrane phospholipids that allow for a systematic investigation of the intermolecular interactions. Elderberry extract was found to increase the fluidity of both DPPE and <i>E. coli </i> lipid extract with a lesser effect on the DPPC molecules. C3G appears to disrupt the lipid interactions and preliminary results indicate that this is mediated by both the headgroups and tailgroups of the lipids. These findings will hopefully enhance the pharmacological applications and the importance of elderberry. Further research will include testing if elderberry can inhibit the myelin sheath inflammation pathway using brain lipid extract.

Interactions of elderberry and phospholipds via Langmuir monolayer technique

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