Guanabenz acetate, an antihypertensive drug repurposed as an inhibitor of <i>Escherichia coli</i> biofilm

Biofilm-associated bacterial infections are one of the major problems in medical settings. There are currently limited biofilm inhibitors available for clinical use. Guanabenz acetate, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, was found to be an effective anti-biofilm agent against <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Our results show that this drug can inhibit the production of cellulose and curli amyloid protein, which are the two main components of <i>E. coli</i> biofilms. Our findings highlight the possibility of repurposing a drug to prevent <i>E. coli</i> biofilm formation.