Concomitant use of tea (Carmellia sinensis) may inhibit the antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of urinary tract infections

CONCOMITANT USE OF TEA (CARMELLIA SINENSIS) MAY INHIBIT THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CIPROFLOXACIN IN THE TREATMENT OF URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

 

Ihekwereme CP1*, Okoye IE2, Esimone CO3, Adikwu MU4

 

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 420281 Nigeria.
  2. Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 420281 Nigeria
  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, 420281 Nigeria.
  4. 4. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Nigeria

 

Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 7(2): 137-141; Nov/Dec 2015


ABSTRACT

Preclinical studies point to a synergy between tea and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of urinary tract infection. Catechin, an extract of green tea has been demonstrated to act synergistically with ciprofloxacin in murine models against species of Escherichia coli. Another study which used urinary isolates of E. coli reported synergism, in vitro between doses of ciprofloxacin and infusions of tea. In an attempt to evaluate the clinical relevance of these reports, healthy adult volunteers orally received tea and ciprofloxacin simultaneously. A control group received ciprofloxacin only. The ability of the urine samples of volunteers to inhibit the growth of E. coli in vitro was used to assess synergism. The result shows that tea reduced the time to reach peak urinary excretion rate, and increased the urinary concentration of the ciprofloxacin. In contrast, tea not only failed to improve bacterial clearance of ciprofloxacin, but also antagonized the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin at 1 h and 5 h. This antagonism may likely be due to physical interaction between ciprofloxacin and tea in the gastrointestinal tract.  In conclusion, this study shows that co-administration of ciprofloxacin and tea may result in failure in treatment or delay in recovery from urinary inhibitory titre (UTI). Hence, clinicians may have to advise their UTI patients on ciprofloxacin to avoid taking tea during the period of treatment.

*Author for correspondence: cp.ihekwereme@unizik.edu.ng