Antibiotic potentiating action of α-PINENE and borneol against EPEC and ETEC sorotypes

Escherichia coli is considered the main cause of intestinal and extra-intestinal infections, they have virulence mechanisms in different pathotypes and the ability to receive or transmit antimicrobial resistance genes. The aim of this work was to investigate the antibacterial and antimicrobial modulating activity of alpha-pinene and borneol against E. coli and enteropathogenic (EPEC) and enterotoxigenic (ETEC) serotypes. The broth microdilution methodology with multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, EPEC and ETEC was used to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and evaluation of the modulating activity of antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and metronidazole) of alpha-pinene and borneol. It was concluded that alpha-pinene and borneol showed a low antimicrobial action against multi-resistant E. coli, however, this action was not observed against the EPEC and ETEC serotypes. A synergistic action of borneol associated with ciprofloxacin against ETEC was noted.

Automated summary

This study investigated the antibacterial and antimicrobial modulating activity of alpha-pinene and borneol against Escherichia coli and enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic serotypes. The results showed that alpha-pinene and borneol exhibited low antimicrobial action against multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, but no antimicrobial activity was observed against enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic serotypes. A synergistic action of borneol with ciprofloxacin against enterotoxigenic serotypes was noted.