Termite usage associated with antibiotic therapy: enhancement of aminoglycoside antibiotic activity by natural products of <it>Nasutitermes corniger </it>(Motschulsky 1855)

• Main Authors: Almeida-Filho Geraldo G (Author), Lima Micheline A (Author), Vasconcellos Alexandre (Author), Coutinho Henrique DM (Author), Alves Rômulo RN (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: BMC, 2009-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several species from Insecta are used as remedies. Among these species, the termite <it>Nasutitermes corniger </it>is commonly used in traditional medicine in Northeast Brazil. The present work tests the modifying antibiotic activity of <it>Nasutitermes corniger</it>, a termite used in folk medicine in Northeastern region of Brazil.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Chlorpromazine and decocts of <it>N. corniger </it>were collected from two different plant species used in the traditional medicine were tested for their antimicrobial activity against strains of <it>Escherichia coli </it>resistant to aminoglycosides. The growth of two bacterial strains of <it>E. coli </it>was tested using decocts and chlorpromazine alone or associeted with aminogycosides.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The MIC and MBC values were ≥1024 μg/ml for both strains of <it>E. coli </it>assayed. A significant synergism was observed between both decocts and chlorpromazine when assyed with neomycin. This synergism with neomycin indicates the involvement of an efflux system in the resistance to this aminoglycoside.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Therefore it is suggested that natural products from <it>N. corniger </it>could be used as a source of zoo-derived natural products with modifying antibiotic activity to aminoglycosides, being a new weapon against the bacterial resistance to antibiotics.</p>

Item Description

10.1186/1472-6882-9-35
1472-6882