Synergistic inhibition of the urinary tract pathogen Staphylococcus saprophyticus by curcumin and berberine

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a Gram-positive pathogen that most commonly associated with community-acquired urinary tract infections in adolescent and adult women. While antibiotics can be used to treat these infections, they often reoccur there has been increased interest using herbal preparations them. Curcumin promoted as treatment for variety of diseases, but its effectiveness limited by low solubility aqueous solutions poor bioavailability. The sensitivity S. curcumin berberine was determined plate count assays, minimum inhibitory concentrations microtiter plates, growth kinetics. When 100 µg ml-1 combined 20 curcumin, large increase the lag phase decrease rate final yield bacteria. There complete inhibition normal human urine. These studies indicate combination allows at much lower concentrations.