Antibacterial potency of Ibuprofen and its interaction with ciprofloxacin against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria

Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), works by reducing hormones for the treatment of fever, inflammation, and pain. Previously, it was only shown that the Ibuprofen inhibits the effect of various bacteria that are stimulated by bacterial infections and not directly on bacterial cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate antibacterial and synergistic activities of Ibuprofen against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603. The results revealed promising antibacterial activity against tested Gram-positive bacteria, but there was no effect on Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, checkerboard assays did not reveal any additive or synergistic activity when combined with ciprofloxacin against tested Gram-positive bacteria. Collectively, our data reveal the selective antibacterial activity of ibuprofen against Gram-positive bacteria which suggests that ibuprofen can be further investigated as a potential source for new therapeutic options.