- Authors: Amaral L, Kristiansen JE, Martins A, Thomsen VF, Viveiros M
- Journal: In vivo
- Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20952744
BACKGROUND:
Most clinical isolates that exhibit a multi-drug resistant phenotype owe that resistance to over-expressed efflux pumps. Compounds that are efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) reduce or reverse resistance to antibiotics to which the bacterial strain is initially resistant. We have evaluated non-antibiotics to reduce resistance of commonly encountered bacterial pathogens to antibiotics.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The effect of non-antibiotics on the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics was conducted by minimum inhibition concentration determinations of the antibiotic in the absence and presence of the non-antibiotic.
RESULTS:
Non-antibiotics such as chlorpromazine, amitryptiline and trans-chlorprothixene are shown to reduce or reverse resistance of a variety of bacteria to antibiotics.
CONCLUSION:
The results suggest that non-antibiotics may serve as adjuncts to conventional antibiotics for the therapy of problematic antibiotic infections caused by bacteria that owe their resistance to over-expressed efflux pumps.
