Quinine sulfate inhibits invasion of Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of typhoid fever and shigellosis parallels that of malaria, so many individuals who are on antimalarial drugs can be found in areas where these diseases are widespread. We investigated the effect of quinine sulfate on the growth and invasion of Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri M90T to determine whether people on antimalarials can have secondary gain from some protection against typhoid fever and shigellosis.


METHODS
The effect of 50 and 100 microM quinine sulfate on the invasive ability of Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri M90T into human colon adenocarcinoma-2 (Caco-2) cells was studied during the infection period. The invasive efficiency was expressed as the number of viable internalized bacteria by counting the colony-forming units.


RESULTS
The invasive ability of Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri M90T was significantly inhibited by 50 and 100 microM quinine sulfate in a dose-dependent manner (for Salmonella typhimurium) when the drug was added to Caco-2 cell monolayers during the infection period.


CONCLUSIONS
Since so many people who are on antimalarial drugs visit and inhabit areas that are endemic to typhoid fever and Shigella infection, a study on the influence of these drugs on the disease is long overdue. Our data indicate that quinine sulfate interferes with the invasion and internalization of Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri M90T into host cells. Further studies on additional strains/serotypes with other newer antimalarials at various concentrations are needed to verify this effect of quinine sulfate and to draw conclusions on its significance in vivo.
Wolf
Ronni
R
Dermitology Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Rechovot, Isreal.
Grimaldi
Elena
E
Donnarumma
Giovanna
G
Greco
Rita
R
Auricchio
Lucia
L
De Filippis
Anna
A
Tufano
Maria Antonietta
MA
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy; D011803:Quinine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000962:Antimalarials; D011803:Quinine