Therapeutic efficacy of buforin II and rifampin in a rat model of Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the efficacy of buforin II and rifampin in an experimental rat model of Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis.

DESIGN:

Prospective, randomized, controlled animal study.

SETTING:

Research laboratory in a university hospital.

SUBJECTS:

Adult male Wistar rats.

INTERVENTIONS:

The animals received intraperitoneally 1 mL saline containing 2 x 10 colony forming units of A. baumannii ATCC 19606 (model i) or the multiresistant strain (model ii). Immediately after bacterial challenge, animals received intravenously a single dose of isotonic sodium chloride solution (control groups C1 and C2), 1 mg/kg of buforin II, 10 mg/kg of rifampin, and 1 mg/kg of buforin II plus 10 mg/kg of rifampin, respectively.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Lethality, bacterial growth in blood and tissue burden, endotoxin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations in plasma. Buforin II showed good antimicrobial activity and achieved a significant reduction of plasma endotoxin and cytokines concentration when compared with control and rifampin-treated groups. Combination among buforin II proved to be the most effective treatment in reducing all variables measured.

CONCLUSION:

In an experimental model, buforin II and rifampin might have a potential role in the treatment of severe infections due to A. baumannii.

• Authors: Oscar Cirioni, Carmela Silvestri, Roberto Ghiselli, Fiorenza Orlando, Alessandra Riva, Eleonora Gabrielli, Federico Mocchegiani, Nancy Cianforlini, Maria Michela Cappelletti Trombettoni, Vittorio Saba, Giorgio Scalise, Andrea Giacometti
• Journal: Critical care medicine (Crit Care Med) Vol. 37 Issue 4 Pg. 1403-7 (Apr 2009) ISSN: 1530-0293 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19318826 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibiotics, Antitubercular
• Proteins
• buforin II
• Rifampin

Topics

• Acinetobacter Infections (drug therapy)
• Acinetobacter baumannii
• Animals
• Antibiotics, Antitubercular (therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Male
• Proteins (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Rifampin (therapeutic use)
• Sepsis (drug therapy, microbiology)