One Earth-One Health (OE-OH): Antibacterial Effects of Plant Flavonoids in Combination with Clinical Antibiotics with Various Mechanisms
Ganjun Yuan, Fengxian Lian, Yu Yan, Yu Wang, Li Zhang, Jianping Zhu, Aiman Fatima, Yuxing Qian · Preprints.org · 2024
Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been seriously threatening to human health, and combination therapy has been proved to be an effective strategy to fight the AMR. Many plant flavonoids can enhance the antibacterial effects of antibiotics, and even reverse the AMR. Our objective was to explore the combined effects of plant flavonoids with antibiotics. Methods: The antibacterial activities of 37 plant flavonoids and 9 clinical antibiotics with various antimicrobial mechanisms were determined using microbroth dilution method. Subsequently, the combined effects of 12 plant flavonoids presenting definite MICs against Staphylococcus aureus with these 9 antibiotics were determined using checkerboard test, together with those of 32 plant flavonoids presenting definite MICs against Escherichia coli with these 9 antibiotics. Results: Approximate 50% of combinations exhibited synergistic effects against E. coli among 288 combinations, while only 25% of combinations exhibited synergistic effects against S. aureus among 108 combinations. Conclusions: Plant flavonoids present extensive synergistic effects when combined with antibiotics especially in combination with ones against Gram-negative bacteria, and their combined effects are consistent with the selection rule of antibacterial agents for synergistic combinations. Considering that various metabolites from microorganisms, plants and animals on the earth would definitely impact on the evolution of AMR, together with the rules, key factor and important principle of drug combination for preventing AMR, and the ecosystem of the earth also have enough buffering capacity and self-regulation ability to the fight between human and pathogenic microorganisms, the concept of One Earth-One Health (OE-OH) was proposed for preventing AMR.