Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major issue across the globe with a 20% rise in fatalities due to microbial infection to leading to sepsis and eventual organ damage or failure. The need for alternative antibiotics is growing as the pressure on existing drugs to work different virulent bacteria grows. Zinc pyrithionine (ZPT) is a derivative of pyrithionine (1-hydroxy 2 pyridinethione) which is synthesised from the metabolite aspergillic acid of Aspergillus flavus. ZPT is commonly used as a dermalogical anti-fungal and anti-seborrheic compound in shampoos and cosmetics. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential anti-microbial effects of commercial ZPT alone and in combination with a range of different antibiotics testing them on the growth of E-coli (EC) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA), incubating both at 370C for 24 hours and in combination with human leucocytes. Results: ZPT was able to significantly inhibit EC and SA growth demonstrated by the results of direct co-culture with each of the microbial inoculums and ZPT in varying concentrations with the optimum effect at lowest dilution visible at 0.03 mg/ml. The zone of inhibition with the addition of ZPT in combination with various antibiotics varied but the effects were comparable to those inhibition of growth and a minimum synergistic effect of a combination of ZPT and penicillin (0.025%), Ciprofloxacin (9.7 x 10-9), Amoxicillin (0.03 mg/ml), Erythromycin (0.6mg/ml) at the respective minimum doses. ZPT was also effective in significantly inhibiting inflammatory cytokine secretion in human peripheral blood monocytes cultured with EC and SA. Conclusion: ZPT displayed potent anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity against EC and SA which was comparable to commercial antibiotics. We propose that ZPT could be potentially therapeutic clinically.

Synergetic effect of zinc pyrthionine with or without selective antibiotics on the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococus aureus

2019 Fall National Meeting

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