Non-antibiotics reverse resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.
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.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Kristiansen
J E
JE
Research Unit for Clinical Microbiology, Southern Danish University, Odense, Denmark.
Thomsen
V F
VF
Martins
Ana
A
Viveiros
M
M
Amaral
L
L
D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002749:Chlorprothixene / Q000494:pharmacology; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000639:Amitriptyline; D002749:Chlorprothixene; D002746:Chlorpromazine