**5. Medicinal plants with biofilm inhibition activity**

Natural products have been identified to inhibit biofilm formation in microorganisms. The exact mechanism for most of the agents is yet to be elucidated. Medicinal plants have been identified as rich source of bioactive compounds that have the capability of interfering with biofilm formation but most of these studies are still in the early stages of drug development. The anti-biofilm effects of medicinal plants have been proposed to be due to the inhibition of formation of polymer matrix, suppression of cell adhesion and attachment, interruption of extracellular matrix formation and reduction in virulence factors production and activation, thereby blocking QS network and biofilm development [85].

Medicinal plants belonging to various plant families reported to have biofilm inhibitory activity are listed in **Table 1**; the part of the plant (leaves, fruits, stem



### **Table 1.**

*Medicinal plants with anti-biofilm activity.*

bark, rhizome) used, the various solvents used for extraction and their ability to inhibit cell adhesion or to eradicate biofilm formed by different pathogens have been mentioned.
