Combinatorial approaches with selected phytochemicals to increase antibiotic efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms |
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Authors: | Ana Cristina Abreu Maria José Saavedra Lúcia C Simões |
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Institution: | 1. LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal;2. CECAV, Veterinary and Animal Science Research Center, Quality and Food Safety of Animal Products Group, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal;3. CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal |
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Abstract: | Combinations of selected phytochemicals (reserpine, pyrrolidine, quinine, morin and quercetin) with antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and erythromycin) were tested on the prevention and control of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. The phytochemicals were also studied for their ability to avoid antibiotic adaptation and to inhibit antibiotic efflux pumps. Morin, pyrrolidine and quercetin at subinhibitory concentrations had significant effects in biofilm prevention and/or control when applied alone and combined with antibiotics. Synergism between antibiotics and phytochemicals was found especially against biofilms of NorA overexpressing strain S. aureus SA1199B. This strain when growing with subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin developed increased tolerance to this antibiotic. However, this was successfully reversed by quinine and morin. In addition, reserpine and quercetin showed significant efflux pump inhibition. The overall results demonstrate the role of phytochemicals in co-therapies to promote more efficient treatments and decrease antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics, with substantial effects against S. aureus in both planktonic and biofilm states. |
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Keywords: | Antibiotic adaptation antibiotic resistance biofilms efflux pump phytochemicals Staphylococcus aureus |
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