Long-known compounds suitable for the development of new antibiotics?

Experts are analyzing the effectiveness of already known chemical compounds

There are more and more strains of bacteria that are resistant to various forms of antibiotics. For this reason, there is a high demand for new effective antibiotics. Researchers now found out that as early as the 1940s, discarded chemical compounds could be used to develop new antibiotics.

Researchers at the University of Leeds found that long-term chemical compounds known as actinorhodins could be used in the production of functional antibiotics. The physicians published the results of their study in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".

Researchers have long been analyzing known chemical compounds for their efficacy in treating antibiotic-resistant germs.

Actinorhodine could be the basis for new antibiotics

The family of chemical compounds called actinorhodins were originally classified as having only weak antibiotic properties. For this reason, the compounds were then no longer used for the development of antibiotics. Now, however, it could be established that exactly these Actinorhodine could be the basis for a new antibiotic.

Old known compounds were re-examined

Unfortunately, as modern diseases become more resistant to existing drugs, life science researchers and chemists at the University of Leeds have now studied ancient compounds and used advances in science and technology to test whether Actinorhodins may have the potential to develop beneficial ones Have medicines.

Current research approaches should re-classify the potential

At the time, scientists did not completely differentiate the individual connections within the family when they studied them. This resulted in a less accurate assessment of the compounds. This prompted the research team to select one of these chemical compounds (y-ACT) to reassess efficacy. Using a range of new approaches, the potential should be re-evaluated to better understand how y-ACT works against bacteria, says study author Professor Alex O'Neill of the University of Leeds.

Y-ACT shows strong antibacterial activity against certain pathogens

Based on the findings of the current investigation, the physicians involved now believe that the drug can be seriously considered as the basis for a new drug to combat certain types of bacterial infections. The experts at the Infectious Diseases Society of America have coined the acronym ESKAPE for so-called multi-resistant pathogens that pose a threat to public health. Y-ACT shows strong antibacterial activity against two major members of the ESKAPE class of pathogens. These are bacteria that have developed the ability to escape the effects of existing drugs. A major challenge in tackling the problem of antibiotic resistance is to develop new effective medicines, say the scientists.

There could be more potentially effective and already studied antibiotics

The results of the study show that potentially useful drug candidates can be discovered among the drugs we already know, says Professor O'Neill. The weak efficacy previously assumed via the ACT family probably explains why this group was not further evaluated. Also other potentially useful groups of antibiotics from previous investigations have already been forgotten, which should now be analyzed again by experts with modern methods, the researcher adds.

Pentyl pantothenamid is also being investigated again

Interestingly, another study by the University of Leeds focused on a compound called pentylpantothenamid, which was first studied in the 1970s. It was then found that the compound is able to stop the growth of E. coli bacteria but is unable to completely kill these bacteria. This meant that Pentylpantothenamid has never been used clinically, explain the doctors.

Vitamin B5 plays an important role in the growth of E. coli bacteria

At that time, scientists did not know how the compound could stop the growth of bacteria, but current research has proven that it drives growth of vitamin B5, which is used for energy conversion. Bacteria need to produce B5, and an important part of the machinery they use is called the PanDZ complex, according to the experts. Pentyl pantothenic amide targets the PanDZ complex and prevents E. coli from forming vitamin B5. So the bacteria lack the means to grow.

A re-examination of already tested compounds is important

The findings of the latest study may now open up opportunities to develop new drugs that use pentyl pantotheneamide to effectively fight E.coli, the authors say. Until recently, no new antibiotics were discovered over a period of 25 years. Current research is important, providing a new way to look for effective antibiotics. Thus, options could be uncovered that could be very useful today but have been overlooked before, scientists say. (As)