Purified citritin in combination with vancomycin inhibits VRE in vitro and in vivo

Gram-positive pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) have been frequently associated with bacterial resistance mechanisms. These mechanisms, in turn, restrict a range of therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of infections caused by these micro-organisms. Faced with this problem, the present study aims to isolate and characterize molecules with antimicrobial activity derived from the fungus Penicillium citrinum isolated from Cerrado soil. Furthermore, we also tested possible antibacterial potential alone and in combination with commercial antimicrobial agents. In this context, citrinin was isolated and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization. Functional analyses showed MIC of 128 µg ml^-1 against S. aureus ATCC 25923, E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and a clinical isolate of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE01). However, for a clinical strain of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA01), the MIC was 256 µg ml^-1. In order to avoid such high concentrations and reduce the collateral effects, additive effects were evidenced by combining citrinin with cefoxitin against MRSA01 (FIC index=0.5) and also citrinin with vancomycin toward VRE01 (FIC index=0.5). In vivo studies with BALB/c-tipe mice (MRSA assay) demonstrated a clinical ineffectiveness of cefoxitin associated with citrinin (9.8 mg kg^-1 of cefoxitin +0.2 mg kg^-1 of citrinin), with this combination being inefficient to increase animal survival. However, the combination used in the treatment of VRE (23.5 mg kg^-1 of citrinin +1.5 mg kg^-1 of vancomycin) sepsis model was extremely promising, leading to an animal survival rate of 80 percent. In summary, our data show, for the first time, the possible successful use of citrinin associated with vancomycin for pathogenic bacteria control.