title: A combination of ellagic acid and tetracycline inhibits biofilm formation and the associated virulence of Propionibacterium acnes in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Propionibacterium acnes is an opportunistic pathogen which has become notorious owing to its ability to form a recalcitrant biofilm and to develop drug resistance. The current study aimed to develop anti-biofilm treatments against clinical isolates of P. acnes under in vitro and in vivo conditions. A combination of ellagic acid and tetracycline (ETC; 250 μg ml(-1) + 0.312 μg ml(-1)) was determined to effectively inhibit biofilm formation by P. acnes (80-91%) without affecting its growth, therefore potentially limiting the possibility of the bacterium attaining resistance. In addition, ETC reduced the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (20-26%), thereby making P. acnes more susceptible to the human immune system and antibiotics. The anti-biofilm potential of ETC was further substantiated under in vivo conditions using Caenorhabditis elegans. This study reports a novel anti-biofilm combination that could be developed as an ideal therapeutic agent with broad cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applicability in the era of antibiotic resistance.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , Alagappa University , Karaikudi , India.
authors.forename: Chandran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sivasankar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , Alagappa University , Karaikudi , India.
authors.forename: Shanmugam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maruthupandiyan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , Alagappa University , Karaikudi , India.
authors.forename: Krishnaswamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balamurugan
authors.affiliation: b Personal Care Division , ITC R&D Centre , Bengaluru , India.
authors.forename: Prabhanand Bhaskar
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: b Personal Care Division , ITC R&D Centre , Bengaluru , India.
authors.forename: Venkat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology , Alagappa University , Karaikudi , India.
authors.forename: Shunmugiah Karutha
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pandian
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000494:pharmacology; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064209:Phytochemicals; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D013752:Tetracycline
keywords: Propionibacterium acnes; acne vulgaris; anti-biofilm combination; drug resistance; ellagic acid; systemic infections