Mitigating antimicrobial resistance with aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and paracetamol (acetaminophen): Conversion of doxycycline and minocycline resistant bacteria into sensitive in presence of aspirin and paracetamol

Abstract

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stimulated research for alternatives antimicrobials, repurposing of other drugs, antibiotic adjuvants and alternative therapies for infections. Antimicrobial activity of NSAIDs is often reported and this study evaluated the antimicrobial potential of the two most common NSAIDs, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and paracetamol (acetaminophen), against 293 clinical strains of bacteria. The ability of aspirin and paracetamol to convert minocycline and doxycyclin-resistant bacteria into sensitivity was also tested using micro-broth dilution assays used for determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Aspirin inhibited all 293 bacterial strains at ≤10.24 mg/ mL concentration. Except for one strain each of Serratia grimaceae and S, aureus paracetamol inhibited none of the 293 strains at 10.24 mg/ mL. Of the 293 strains 116 (39.59%) were sensitive (MIC ≤4 μg/mL) to doxycycline and 127 (43.34%) to minocycline. Of the selected 57 minocycline-resistant (MIC >4 μg/mL) strains aspirin converted 32 (56.14%) to minocycline-sensitive. Of the 49 doxycycline-resistant (MIC >4 μg/mL) strains tested in presence of aspirin 30 (61.22%) turned sensitive. Of the 34 doxycycline-resistant strains tested in presence of paracetamol 11 (32.35%) become sensitive. The study concluded that most of the bacterial strains were not susceptible to aspirin and paracetamol at their concentrations often available in plasma at maximum therapeutic dose levels and had no significant change in their susceptibility to doxycycline and minocycline. The study indicated the potential of aspirin and its combination with antibiotics in the development of therapeutically useful topical antimicrobial formulations.

Comparative Antimicrobial Potential of Green Synthesized Sliver-nano-particles Using Three Different Natural Gums on Potentially Pathogenic Microbes from Veterinary Clinical Cases and Associated Environment

“…The MIC was much higher for flunixin meglumine (5.58 ± 4.32 mg mL -1 ) and paracetamol (≤5.12 mg mL -1 ). The observations are in concurrence to earlier findings [17,18] and revealed no therapeutic utility of NSAIDs as antimicrobials for internal therapeutic use.…”

“…for topical applications. Similar, type of interactions of NSAIDs have been reported with some antibiotics too [18,19]…”

“…In contrast, another NSAID, paracetamol, had adverse effect on MIC of SNPs and increased MIC in most instances. However, the concentrations of NSAIDs at which they may affect the MIC of SNPs in vitro (≥0.02 mg mL -1 ) is unachievable therapeutically in vivo unless toxic doses of NSAIDs are administered [18]. Therefore, interaction between NDAIDs and SNPs has little or no significant role in internal therapeutic use of…”

Antibacterial Activity of Paracetamol, Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Azithromycin, and Ciprofloxacin

“…Paracetamol, the most widely used are reported to improve the performance of antibiotics either through their synergistic antibacterial action with antibiotics or by reducing adherence, production of biofilm, and other virulence factors as well as by altering pathogen susceptibility to antibiotics. (Singh et al, 2021).…”

Acetylsalicylic Acid–Primus Inter Pares in Pharmacology

“…The secretion of PGE2 by tumor cells suppresses NF-κB, which plays a role in inducing the natural killer (NK) cells, thus preventing these immune cells from maturing and reducing their ability to damage cells [ 165 , 166 ]. Prolonged treatment of CRC cells with ASA decreases cytoplasmic IκBa and thus increases translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus; such activation of the NF-κB pathway induced apoptosis in these cells [ 167 ] ( Figure 4 ).…”