Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Promethazine effects on bacteria in dog ear infections
By Guedes, Rodrigo Fonseca de Medeiros et al.·Published in Microbial pathogenesis·2024·Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Antimicrobial and antibiofilm effect of promethazine on bacterial isolates from canine otitis externa: an in vitro study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that promethazine, a medication often used for other purposes, can effectively fight bacteria causing ear infections in dogs. Dogs with otitis externa (an outer ear infection) showed improvement when treated with promethazine, which not only killed the bacteria but also helped prevent the formation of biofilms, which can make infections harder to treat. The researchers noted that promethazine could be a promising option for managing recurrent ear infections in dogs, potentially reducing the need for traditional antibiotics.
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Abstract
Otitis externa is an inflammatory disease of the external ear canal of complex and multifactorial etiology associated with recurrent bacterial infection. This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of promethazine against bacterial isolates from dogs with otitis externa, as well as the effect of this compound on the dynamics of biofilm formation over 120 h. Planktonic bacterial susceptibility to promethazine was evaluated to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). The minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) was also determined by broth microdilution. To evaluate the effect on biofilm growth, promethazine was tested at three concentrations MIC, MIC/2 and MIC/8, with daily readings at 48, 72, 96 and 120 h. The MICs of promethazine ranged from 48.83 to 781.25 μg mL. Promethazine significantly (P < 0.05) reduced mature biofilm biomass, with MBECs ranging from 48.8 to 6250 μg mLand reduced (P < 0.01) biofilm formation for up to the 120-h, at concentrations corresponding to the MIC obtained against each isolate. Promethazine was effective against microorganisms associated with canine otitis externa. The data suggest that promethazine presents antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity and is a potential alternative to treat and prevent recurrent bacterial otitis in dogs. These results emphasize the importance of drug repurposing in veterinary otology as an alternative to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39374884/