Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (26)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Giacometti, A.
Right arrow Articles by Scalise, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Giacometti, A.
Right arrow Articles by Scalise, G.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1999) 44, 641-645
© 1999 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

In-vitro activity of cationic peptides alone and in combination with clinically used antimicrobial agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A. Giacometti*, O. Cirioni, F. Barchiesi, M. Fortuna and G. Scalise

Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, University of Ancona, Italy

The in-vitro activity of cecropin P1, indolicidin, magainin II, nisin and ranalexin alone and in combination with nine clinically used antimicrobial agents was investigated against a control strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and 40 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Antimicrobial activities were measured by MIC, MBC and viable count. In the combination study, the clinically used antibiotics were used at concentrations close to their mean serum level in humans in order to establish the clinical relevance of the results. To select peptide-resistant mutants, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 was treated with consecutive cycles of exposure to each peptide at 1 x MIC. The peptides had a varied range of inhibitory values: all isolates were more susceptible to cecropin P1, while ranalexin showed the lowest activity. Nevertheless, synergy was observed when the peptides were combined with polymyxin E and clarithromycin. Consecutive exposures to each peptide at 1 x MIC resulted in the selection of stable resistant mutants. Cationic peptides might be valuable as new antimicrobial agents. Our findings show that they are effective against P. aeruginosa, and that their activity is enhanced when they are combined with clinically used antimicrobial agents, particularly with polymyxin E and clarithromycin.

* Correspondence address. Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, c/o Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto I, Piazza Cappelli 1, Ancona, I-60121, Italy. Tel: +39-071-5963467; Fax: +39-071-5963468; E-mail: cmalinf{at}popcsi.unian.it


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev.Home page
D. Drider, G. Fimland, Y. Hechard, L. M. McMullen, and H. Prevost
The Continuing Story of Class IIa Bacteriocins
Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., June 1, 2006; 70(2): 564 - 582.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Immunol.Home page
D. M. E. Bowdish, D. J. Davidson, D. P. Speert, and R. E. W. Hancock
The Human Cationic Peptide LL-37 Induces Activation of the Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase and p38 Kinase Pathways in Primary Human Monocytes
J. Immunol., March 15, 2004; 172(6): 3758 - 3765.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
A. Ingham, M. Ford, R. J. Moore, and M. Tizard
The bacteriocin piscicolin 126 retains antilisterial activity in vivo
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., June 1, 2003; 51(6): 1365 - 1371.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.Home page
Y. H. Yau, B. Ho, N. S. Tan, M. L. Ng, and J. L. Ding
High Therapeutic Index of Factor C Sushi Peptides: Potent Antimicrobials against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., October 1, 2001; 45(10): 2820 - 2825.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.