Advancing Adjuvant Treatment for Bacterial Sepsis: Exploring Anti-biofilm Compounds and Efflux Pump Inhibitors

Bacterial infectious diseases have been treated with antibiotics for several decades. However, the adaptive response observed throughout this period can be summarised as the emergence of a diverse range of resistance mechanisms. Consequently, the inevitability of this bacteria's adaptive response can be mitigated by the application of drugs or compounds that are not related to the physiological mechanisms associated with the antibiotics' effects. However, if it is possible to use adjuvant strategies, this may prove more effective. In this context, it is possible to cite the drugs and compounds that affect efflux cells or efflux pump inhibitors, as well as those that influence the mechanisms associated with biofilm production. Both types of compounds are related to non-specific resistance mechanisms, and thus represent two of the principal processes through which bacteria can develop resistance mechanisms. This paper presents a framework for understanding the relevance of prioritising mechanisms associated with non-specific resistance as a pharmacological target as a strategy to attenuate the intensity and frequency of antibiotic resistance mechanisms.