Fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria with Alzheimer's drug

Alzheimer's drug for antibiotic resistance

Just recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that antibiotic resistance is increasing dramatically worldwide. This poses great threats to global health. But researchers from Australia may have found a solution to the problem.

Dangerous increase of antibiotic resistance

The increase in antibiotic resistance is posing a growing challenge for healthcare. If the problem is not brought under control soon, according to researchers threatens a horror scenario. According to an earlier study by the Berlin Charité, there could be around 10 million deaths from multidrug-resistant germs by 2050. In recent years, more and more governments and experts have announced their intention to step up the fight against antibiotic resistance. Australian researchers have now gained new insights into how the problem could possibly be solved.

More and more bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. This poses great threats to global health. But researchers may now have found a solution to this problem. (Image: Jezper / fotolia.com)

Drug was originally intended for the treatment of Alzheimer's

As the Australian-New Zealand University Network / Institute Ranke-Heinemann reported in a communication, dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria could soon be treated with a drug that was originally developed for Alzheimer's disease.

This has resulted in a joint research project by Griffith University and the University of Queensland in Brisbane.

The results of the experts were published in the journal "mBio".

The researchers reported that they were particularly interested in the antibacterial properties of PBT2.

It is a metal-transporting drug originally intended for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.

One of the biggest health threats worldwide

According to Professor Mark von Itzstein, director of the Institute for Glycomics at Griffith University, this is exciting news. Especially because antibiotic resistance is currently one of the biggest health threats in the world.

"Over the past 30 years, many bacteria have developed resistance to a whole range of antibiotic drugs," the scientist said in a press release.

"This has resulted in the current antibiotic treatment becoming ineffective, with an increasing number of deaths from infectious diseases in Australia," said Itzstein.

"If no new solutions are discovered, it is estimated that by 2050, antimicrobial resistant bacteria will account for more than 10 million deaths worldwide. Now we've found another weapon to help save millions of lives! "

Effective agent for the treatment of infectious diseases

Professor Mark Walker of the University of Queensland's School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences says that even if PBT2 does not put it on the market for these diseases, it has proven to be of great utility.

"This particular drug has passed phases 1 and 2 of clinical trials for Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. In addition, it has been shown to be well tolerated by human patients, "he said in a statement.

"PBT2 was developed to prevent the interaction between metals and human cells. It was hoped that it would reduce the deposition of heavy metals in the brain, "says Walker.

"With this ulterior motive and the knowledge that the prevention of metal deposits for bacteria is toxic, we looked more closely at the effect of PBT2 on a whole range of antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

The results indicate that this drug has the capacity to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

"The use of PBT2 as a remedy for antibiotic resistance is a whole new strategy," said Professor Walker.

"We may be able to reverse antibiotic resistance so that antibiotics are again an effective tool in the treatment of infectious diseases." (Ad)