How scientists are repurposing old drugs to combat antibiotic resistance

Mackenzie Bean (Twitter) -

Scientists may be able to repurpose older drugs, like bithionol, to kill drug-resistant bacteria, suggest the findings of a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Researchers from Providence, R.I.-based Brown University, Atlanta-based Emory University and Boston-based Harvard University conducted the study, which sought to identify an existing drug that could attack a bacteria's membrane to eliminate infections, according to NPR.

They tested more than 80,000 drugs on worms infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. While 185 drugs effectively eliminated the bacteria without killing the worms, only a handful of drugs penetrated the bacteria's membrane, including bithionol.

Researchers found the drug could kill MRSA in a petri dish within 24 hours. A low dose of bithionol, combined with the antibiotic gentamicin, could also kill 90 percent of MRSA infections in mice.

"I really think that the future for overcoming antibiotic resistance is these combination therapies where we can use lower doses of the more toxic antibiotics," study author William Wuest, PhD, associate professor of chemistry at Emory, told NPR.

More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
West Nile virus cases jumped 25% in 2018, CDC says
Viewpoint: Ebola could become endemic in Congo
3 areas Massachusetts hospitals should address for safer emergency care

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.