title: The assessment of the antibacterial and antifungal activities of aspirin, EDTA and aspirin-EDTA combination and their effectiveness as antibiofilm agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antimicrobial activities of aspirin, EDTA and an aspirin-EDTA (A-EDTA) combination against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans in planktonic and biofilm cultures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal biocidal concentrations (MBC) were determined using twofold broth microdilution and viable counting methods, respectively. Aspirin's recorded MIC values ranged from 1.2 to 2.7 mg ml(-1). Checkerboard assay demonstrated a synergism in antimicrobial activity upon combination. Aspirin's minimal biofilm eradication concentration values (MBEC) against the established biofilms ranged between 1.35 and 3.83 mg ml(-1). A complete eradication of bacterial biofilms was achieved after a 4-h treatment with the A-EDTA combination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both aspirin and EDTA possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity for both planktonic and biofilm cultures. Aspirin used at the MBEC for 24 h was successful in eradicating P. aeruginosa, E. coli and C. albicans biofilms established on abiotic surfaces. Moreover, the exposure to the A-EDTA combination (4 h) effected complete bacterial biofilm eradication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a continuous need for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. Aspirin and EDTA are 'nonantibiotic drugs', the combination of which can be used successfully to treat and eradicate biofilms established on abiotic surfaces.
authors.affiliation: University of Jordan, Faculty of Pharmacy, Amman-11942, Jordan. agbakri@ju.edu.jo
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Al-Bakri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bustanji
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010933:Plankton / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D004492:Edetic Acid; D001241:Aspirin