Comparison between effects of antibiotics, NSAIDs and their mixture on the growth of microorganisms

Abstract

Aim: To compare the effects of antibiotics, NSAIDs and their mixture on the growth of microorganisms. Introduction: Commonly, when a patient has an infection, doctors prescribe NSAIDs for pain and inflammation that may be caused by infection as a part of symptomatic treatment. And antibiotics are also prescribed as an etiological treatment. Our experiment that was performed last year came to a conclusion that NSAIDs, notably: Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac could inhibit the growth of some microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. These results, although performed in vitro were promising especially with the growing rate of bacterial resistance towards antimicrobial agents. Methods: We used antibiotics: Penicillin, Gentamicin and Ceftriaxone; NSAIDs-non-selective: Aspirin, Diclofenac and Ibuprofen and COX-2 selective: Celecoxib. Samples were taken from the oral cavity of patients with liver diseases. Cultures were made of the samples taken and they were inoculated onto an agar plate. Then three well were made in the agar plate: in the first well we put an NSAIDs, second well with an antibiotic and in the third we put the mixture of both NSAID and antibiotic. The agar plates were placed into an incubator for 24h at a temperature of 37°C. The experiment was done twice to get accurate results. Results: The analysis of the obtained results shows that in group 1 (antibiotics) was the highest inhibition 39.3±3.6mm, in the group 2 in which there were NSAIDs gave the results as shown 31.7±4.1mm, and last investigative group 3 with mixture was 27.3±1.8. Conclusion: From the obtained results we can conclude that a mixture of NSAIDs and antibiotics does not improve antibacterial effect of antibiotics. In fact, NSAIDs seem to even lower the efficacy of antimicrobial drugs. Special attention should be paid while administering NSAIDs to patients who are on antibiotic therapy since the combination of these two groups of drugs lower the antimicrobial effect. Acknowledgements: Assistant professor Marta Panas (our scientific advisor).