Antimicrobial effects of compound Huangbai liquid on staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and MRSA: clinical, bacterial, and animal experimental studies.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Compound Huangbai Liquid (HB) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

METHODS

A multidimensional research strategy combining clinical trials, bacteriological experiments and animal model studies was used. The clinical efficacy and adverse effects of HB were observed in patients with abdominal abscesses and non-lactating breast abscesses. The antimicrobial activity of HB was assessed in vitro by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), and its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory as well as pro-healing mechanisms were explored in a mouse infection model.

RESULTS

Clinical studies of abdominal abscesses showed that patients in the HB treatment group had a significantly lower rate of pus bacterial positivity, lower serum white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NEU) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, higher levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (βFGF), reduced pus volume and shorter hospitalization time. Clinical studies of non-lactating breast abscesses showed that HB significantly reduced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels, promoted wound healing and relieved pain. No significant adverse effects were observed in either clinical study, and there was no statistically significant difference in the recurrence rate during long-term follow-up, indicating that HB has a favorable safety profile and stable efficacy. The results of bacteriological experiments showed that the MICs of HB on S. aureus and E. coli were 140 µg/mL and 500 µg/mL, respectively, showing concentration-dependent bacteriostatic effects. Animal experiments further revealed that HB significantly reduced the wound bacterial load, inhibited inflammatory cell infiltration, increased the number of fibroblasts, and down-regulated the levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α, while up-regulating the expression of tissue repair factors such as EGF, VEGF-A, and TGF-β.

CONCLUSION

HB possesses antimicrobial effects against S. aureus and E. coli and possesses the prospect of further development as an antimicrobial adjuvant therapeutic agent.