• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2019

Objective: Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem and threatens health of societies. These problems have led to a search for alternative approaches such as combination therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of caffeine and omeprazole in combination with gentamicin or ciprofloxacin against standard and clinically resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of different agents against bacterial strains were determined. The interaction of non- antibiotic drugs with gentamicin and ciprofloxacin was studied in vitro using a checkerboard method and calculating fraction inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Verapamil as efflux pump inhibitor was used to evaluate the possible mechanism of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Results: The MIC and MBC values of gentamicin against bacterial strains were in the range of $20-80{\mu}g/ml$ and $40-200{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Caffeine and omeprazole had no intrinsic inhibitory activity against tested microorganisms. However, upon combination of caffeine with antibiotics, the synergistic effects were observed. Verapamil was able to reduce the MIC values of gentamicin (4 folds) only in some bacterial strains. Conclusion: These findings indicated that caffeine was effective in removing bacterial infection caused by S. aureus and E. coli. The relevant mechanisms of antibiotic resistance were not related to the drug efflux.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 1998

Staphylococuus aureus and Escherichia coli is increasingly responsible for outbreaks of nosocomial infection around the world. Because serious infections due to these organisms currently necessiate use of non-$\beta$-lactam antimicrobial therapy and because strains is ofen resistant to many antimicrobial agents, infections with this organism are difficult to treat. Isolated strains from post operaton wounds of PNU hospital patient were tested for the antimicrobial susceptibility, resistant pattern and combined action to the 6 antibiotics. The minimal inhibitory concentraction of each antibiotic anc antibiotics combining in various ratios were measured by checkerboard dilution method. the synergism was determined through calculating the fractional inhibitory concentraction index (FICI). In case of S. aureus, 15 strains was shown to be highly sensitive to streptomycin and 13 strains to cephalothin. In case of E. coli, it is excellent senstitive 16 strains, sensitive 4 strains on cefoperazone, as like S. aureus, and thus the sensitive is most to be 66%. As the result of gaining MIC from S. aureus upon agar dilution method, MIC$_{50}$ was 8$\mu$g/ml, MIC$_{90}$ was 16$\mu$g/ml and thus the streptomycine is shown to be lowest. In case of E, coli, S. MIC$_{50}$ was 4$\mu$g/ml, MIC$_{90}$ was 16$\mu$g/ml, in streptomycin and thus is shown to be lower than S. aureus. As the result of comparing the resistance aspect of combining the antibiotics on S. aureus and E. coli, the resistant strain can be known to be reduced to the large range more than each 40% than combining with only aminoglycoside-series or cephalosporine-series. As the result of combining aminoglycoside-series, streptomycin and cephalothin or cefuroxime sensitive to S. aureus and E. coli in the above mentioned results, the increase or imporovement of effect is over 73% and 80%, respectively, thus the case od combining 2 antibiotics is shown to be better in the effect. Isolated strains from operating wounds were for the antimicrobial susceptibility. In case of S. aureus 15 strains was shown to be sensitive very much on streptomycin. In case of E. coli it is excellent sensitive 16 strains. As the results of combining aminoglycosides-series, streptomycin and cephalosporine series, cephalothin and cefuroxime, the increase or improvement of effect is over 73%, thus case of combining 2 antibiotics is shown to be better in the effect.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.55-61
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• 2015

Objectives : Yongdamgosam-hwan(YGH) has been used as a traditional medicine from old times for antiinflammatory effects. Streptococcus mutans(S. mutans) is known as a prime bacteria responsible for causing caries by forming a biofilm referred to as dental plaque on the tooth surface. But antimicrobial activity of YGH with dental disease is not sufficiently understood. This study was designed to investigate the effects of YGH ethanol extract on antimicrobial effect against Streptococcus mutans.Methods : The antimicrobial effect of YGH ethanol extract was assessed by the paper disk diffusion method and optical density method to determine minimum inhibition concentration(MIC), also observed by fractional inhibitory concentration index(FICI) and time-kill assay to figure out the synergic effect on the combination of YGH ethanol extract with antibiotics.Results : The YGH ethanol extract 500 μg was 7.5-8.5 mm diameter of clear zone of inhibition against Streptococcus mutans in a concentration-dependent manner and MIC was 250 μg/mL. The administration of the ethanol extract in combination with gentamicin and streptomycin induced a reduction of ≥4-8-fold in all tested bacteria. Furthermore, time-kill study was found that a combination of YGH ethanol extract with oxacillin and streptomycin produced a more rapid decrease in the concentration of bacteria CFU/mL than the YGH ethanol extract or antibiotics alone.Conclusions : As a result, the YGH ethanol extract has good antimicrobial effects. And the results suggest that YGH could be employed as a natural antibacterial agent in dental care products.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.72-79
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• 2023

MRSA is Staphylococcus aureus resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, and is a worldwide infectious disease. Even with the discovery of new antibiotics, resistance develops rapidly, so new alternatives are needed. Jakyakgamcho-tang (JGT) is a combination of Jakyak and Gamcho, and has been mainly used as an antispasmodic and analgesic in oriental medicine. This study was conducted to find out whether there is an effect on MRSA in relation to the anti-inflammatory effect of JGT and the antibacterial effect of Jakyak and Gamcho found in previous studies. In this study, in order to investigate the antibacterial activity of JGT and the combined effect of existing antibiotics, after extracting JGT with 70% EtoH, the disc diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), drug combination effect (FICI), and time-kill analysis (Time-kill assay), metabolic inhibition, Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis were used to confirm the antibacterial activity mechanism of MRSA of JGT. As a result of the experiment, all of MRSA showed antibacterial activity in JGT's disc diffusion method, and the MIC was 250-1000 ㎍/mL. When existing antibiotics and JGT were combined with drugs, most had synergy or partial synergy. In addition, it was confirmed that the degree of bacterial growth was suppressed over time when simultaneous administration for 24 hours. JGT showed a synergistic effect when administered together with the ATPase-inhibitor DCCD, suggesting that it affected the inhibition of ATPase. As a result of observing the expression of PBP2a, and hla protein in the JGT-treated group and the untreated control group through wstern blot, it was confirmed that the protein expression of the JGT-treated group was significantly suppressed, and the expression levels of mecA, mecR1 and hla genes were also suppressed during JGT treatment. was observed by qRT-PCR. Combining the results of the experiment, it can be seen that JGT has antibacterial activity in MRSA, and when combined with existing antibiotics, the effect was increased compared to treatment with the drug alone. This suggests that JGT can be an alternative to treatment for antibiotic resistance of MRSA.