Method of identifying a biologically-active composition from a biofilm
The subject invention provides materials and methods that effectively support innate immunity and/or disperse pathogenic biofilms using readily available, nontoxic, natural substances, while supporting restoration of normal microbiotic homeostasis. In one embodiment, the subject invention provides anti-biofilm compositions comprising one or more probiotic organisms, anti-microbial honey, and other ingredients such as prebiotic compounds, other hive products, green tea derivatives, other plant derivatives, and vitamin D3.
1. A method for identifying and selecting a biologically-active composition, wherein said method comprises: (1) growing a microbial biofilm within a reactor vessel, wherein the biofilm is contacted with a biological growth medium within said reactor vessel; (2) harvesting said biofilm by removing the biofilm from the reactor vessel thereby obtaining a fraction comprising biofilm cellular mass; (3) testing said fraction that comprises biofilm cellular mass for biological activity; and (4) selecting, as the biologically-active composition, a fraction that is found to have biological activity.
2. A method for preparing a biologically-active composition, wherein said method comprises: (1) growing a microbial biofilm within a reactor vessel, wherein the biofilm is contacted with a biological growth medium within said reactor vessel; (2) harvesting said biofilm by removing the biofilm from the reactor vessel thereby obtaining a fraction comprising biologically-active biofilm cellular mass; and (3) combining said fraction with an appropriate carrier to form said biologically-active composition.
3. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the biological activity is anti-microbial activity or anti-inflammatory activity.
4. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the microbial biofilm is of a probiotic microbe selected from the group consisting of Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium , and Lactobacillus .
5. The method, according to claim 4 , wherein the microbe is a Lactobacillus .
6. The method, according to claim 2 , comprising a step of separating supernatant from the biofilm cellular mass by centrifugation or filtration.
7. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the biological activity is anti-microbial activity or anti-inflammatory activity.
8. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the biofilm is of a probiotic microbe.
9. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the microbe is selected from the group consisting of Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium , and Lactobacillus .
10. The method, according to claim 9 , wherein the microbe is a Lactobacillus .
11. The method, according to claim 1 , comprising a step of separating supernatant from the biofilm cellular mass by centrifugation or filtration.
12. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the biofilm is grown from a biological sample obtained from a human.
13. The method, according to claim 7 , wherein the biological activity is anti-microbial activity.
14. The method, according to claim 7 , wherein the biological activity is anti-inflammatory activity.
15. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the biological activity is anti-microbial activity.
16. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the biological activity is anti-inflammatory activity.
17. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises alcohol.
18. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises a food product.
19. The method, according to claim 2 , which is a cosmetic composition and the carrier is suitable for cosmetic use.
20. The method, according to claim 3 , wherein the carrier is appropriate for topical administration.