Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
05:57
The Synergistic Effect of Visible Light and Gentamycin on Pseudomona aeruginosa Microorganisms
Published on: July 2, 2013
Synergic interaction between pomegranate extract and antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus
L C Braga1, A A M Leite, K G S Xavier
1Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Canadian Journal of Microbiology
|September 22, 2005
Summary
Pomegranate extract (PGME) synergizes with antibiotics against MRSA and MSSA. This natural compound enhances antibiotic effectiveness, potentially extending their lifespan and combating resistant bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Natural Products
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant global health threat due to antibiotic resistance.
- Staphylococcus aureus exhibits resistance to various antibiotics, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Punica granatum (pomegranate) is recognized for its potential medicinal properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the synergistic interaction between Punica granatum methanolic extract (PGME) and common antibiotics against clinical isolates of MRSA and MSSA.
- To evaluate the impact of PGME on antibiotic efficacy, including bactericidal activity and post-antibiotic effect.
- To explore the potential mechanisms of PGME's action, such as efflux pump inhibition.
Main Methods:
- Broth dilution method for susceptibility testing of PGME and antibiotics against 30 clinical isolates.
- Time-kill assays to assess the bactericidal activity of PGME in combination with ampicillin.
- Evaluation of post-antibiotic effect (PAE) and investigation of potential mechanisms like efflux pump modulation.
Main Results:
- Significant synergistic activity (38%-73%) was observed between PGME and five tested antibiotics (chloramphenicol, gentamicin, ampicillin, tetracycline, oxacillin).
- The combination of PGME and ampicillin demonstrated potent bactericidal effects, reducing MSSA and MRSA viability by 99.9% and 72.5%, respectively.
- PGME enhanced the post-antibiotic effect of ampicillin and showed potential to inhibit the NorA efflux pump or enhance drug influx.
Conclusions:
- Punica granatum methanolic extract significantly enhances the activity of tested antibiotics against both MRSA and MSSA.
- PGME offers a promising natural alternative for potentiating antibiotic efficacy and potentially extending the useful lifespan of existing antibiotics.
- The findings suggest PGME as a valuable adjunct therapy in combating challenging Staphylococcus aureus infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Such synergistic combinations...
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
00:57Antibiotic Selection
Overview
01:23Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis
Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
01:29Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...