Graduation Year

2022

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Biology

Reader 1

Pete Chandrangsu

Reader 2

Erin Jones

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

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© 2022 Jacqueline Loh

Abstract

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a looming threat to the future of public health and medicine. With an increase in over-prescription of antibiotic therapies, a novel solution to combat antibiotic-resistance is needed. Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) may serve as potential helper compounds with metal ions to combat bacterial infections. Previous studies demonstrate that CBD and CBG inhibit bacterial growth by disrupting the cell membrane with little propensity to induce resistance. This study aimed to determine if CBD and CBG when combined with copper and zinc demonstrate significant inhibition of bacterial growth. Three separate assays were used to cross-reference our data. Growth curve data suggests that CBD and CBG when combined with copper and zinc metals display synergistic interactions in inhibiting bacterial growth. Fractional inhibitory index (FIC) calculations indicated synergy at several concentrations of CBD and CBG with metal compounds. A time-kill assay and disk diffusion assay were utilized to further confirm this trend.With the potential for synergistic interaction, cannabidiols and metal antibiotics could serve as a helpful combination therapy to mitigate multi-drug resistant bacterial infections.

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