ArticleBMC microbiology2023
Crippling of Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence by metformin, N-acetylcysteine and secnidazole.
Article in BMC microbiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Intrinsic Acidity of N-Acetylcysteine Mediates Enhanced Inhibition ofMicroorganisms · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial and Synergistic Activity of Metformin AgainstThe Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale · 2026Article
- Supplementation with endogenous healthy gut metabolites reverses the disruptions of in vitro and ex vivo epithelial functions induced by fecal content from IBD patients.Gut microbes · 2025Article
- Anti-urease therapy: a targeted approach to mitigating antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori while preserving the gut microflora.Gut pathogens · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe emergence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in hospitals represents a serious threat to public health. Infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae are widespread in healthcare institutions, mainly pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and infections affecting neonates in intensive care units; so, it is necessary to combat this pathogen with new strategies. Targeting virulence factors necessary to induce host damage and disease is a new paradigm for antimicrobial therapy with several potential benefits that could lead to decreased resistance.
backgroundThe influence of metformin, N-acetylcysteine, and secnidazole on Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence factors production was tested. The production of Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence factors such as biofilm formation, urease, proteases, hemolysins, and tolerance to oxidative stress was evaluated phenotypically using sub-inhibitory concentration (1/8 MIC) of metformin, N-acetylcysteine, and secnidazole. For more confirmation, qRT-PCR was used to assess the relative expression level of rmpA, wcaG, fimH-1, mrkD, ureA, and khe genes regulating virulence factors production.
resultsMetformin, N-acetylcysteine, and secnidazole were all found to have a powerful inhibitory effect on the production of virulence factors phenotypically. Our results showed a significant reduction in the expression level of rmpA, wcaG, fimH-1, mrkD, ureA, and khe genes. Furthermore, the tested drugs were investigated in vivo to inform their ability to protect mice against Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenesis.
conclusionsMetformin, N-acetylcysteine, and secnidazole inhibited the virulence of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Besides combating resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, the tested drugs could also serve as an adjuvant to traditional antibiotics.
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Registered trials
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