Cuminaldehyde in combination with tetracycline shows promising antibiofilm activity against drug-resistant <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>

<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, an opportunistic pathogen often causes biofilm-linked infections. A combinatorial approach involving tetracycline (antibiotic) and cuminaldehyde (phytochemical) was explored to combat this infectious pathogen. The results showed that both tetracycline and cuminaldehyde individually demonstrated antibacterial effects. However, when the compounds were applied together, there was a significant increase in their antimicrobial potential. The determined fractional inhibitory concentration index of 0.43 indicated a synergistic interaction between the two compounds. Furthermore, a series of experiments demonstrated that the combined application of cuminaldehyde and tetracycline could lead to a significant enhancement of their antibiofilm potential. This enhanced antibiofilm potential was attributed to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and increased cell membrane permeability. Besides, this combinatorial application reduced the secretion of various virulence factors from <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. Therefore, this combined approach holds promise for effectively treating <i>P. aeruginosa</i> biofilms.