Vitamins Can Increase Antibiotic Effects Against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in an In Vitro Infection Model

Background: Recent research has unveiled that approximately 50%-70% of patients afflicted with lung cancer also receive concurrent diagnoses of lung infections, most notably pneumonia. Among the critical multidrug-resistant pathogens frequently isolated from pneumonia-afflicted patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii stand prominent. Here, we assessed the impact of antibiotics and vitamins on the lung cancer infection cell culture.

Methods: The study delves into the antimicrobial properties of vitamins P, K, and E against A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, employing the minimum inhibitory concentration method and scrutinizing biofilm formation within the A549 cell culture.

Results: The combined application of vitamins and antibiotics exhibited a statistically significant effect on both the minimal inhibitory concentration values and biofilm formation (P < .05). Within the realm of fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins K and E, when integrated with antibiotics, revealed varying degrees of influence, with vitamin K displaying the most substantial fractional inhibitory concentration value. Vitamin E, on the other hand, demonstrated a comparatively weaker fractional inhibitory concentration than the other constituents. Nevertheless, it exhibited robust optical density and a pronounced capacity to inhibit biofilm formation. Moreover, among the vitamin groups, it is evident that vitamin E surpasses the efficacy of others (antibacterials affecting K < P < E). The collective application of all vitamins manifested the most potent fractional inhibitory concentration.

Conclusion: The synergistic effects of vitamins with antibiotics, as evidenced in this study, may offer a promising alternative for treating multidrug-resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, subject to further investigation through molecular studies.

Cite this article as: Celebi O, Celebi D, Baser S, Yilmaz A, Yildirim S. Vitamins can increase antibiotic effects against multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa and acinetobacter baumannii in an in vitro infection model. Eurasian J Med., 2024 [Epub Ahead of Print].