Assessment of the antibacterial activity of lipoic acid against atypical bacteria from the Mycobacteriaceae family

Project manager: Dr. Małgorzata Biernat - Sudolska
Implementation period: 2020 – 2021

 

In the years 2016-2018, a pilot study of the activity of lipoic acid (LA) was carried out, among others. against unusual bacteria such as ureaplasmas. They constitute the physiological flora of the urogenital tract, but if they multiply excessively, above 10^4 CCU/ml, they may become pathogens, causing inflammation of the urogenital tract in men and women, miscarriages and respiratory disorders in newborns born to infected women.

We have shown that lipoic acid at a high concentration of 1200 μ/ml (but not toxic to human cells) reduces the titers of these microorganisms, while lower concentrations of 120 and 12 μ/ml do not have such an effect. Currently, we would like to determine the lowest concentration of a preparation with significant antimicrobial activity. The test will aim to determine whether the preparation will still be active against these bacteria after possible gradual decomposition. In the future, this will also have economic significance because the use of a preparation with a lower concentration of the active substance will reduce the costs of its preparation. We also plan to conduct similar tests for bacteria of the Mycoplasma genus, which, like ureaplasmas, also belong to atypical bacteria from the Mycobacteriaceae family.