Researchers: New drug against antibiotic-resistant bacteria discovered
The metal Ruthenium is the new antibiotic?
In the last 50 years, there have been no new treatment options, to set against the fast-growing strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to the military. Currently around 25,000 people in the EU die every year from infections with resistant bacteria – and the trend is increasing. The world health organization, WHO, classified pathogens resistant to antibiotics as one of the greatest threats of our time. A British research team recently discovered a new drug that could turn the tide.
Researchers from the University of Sheffield in England have discovered a new active substance that is able to, bacteria such as Escherichia coli to kill, even if these antibiotics have drug resistance. The research team developed a Nano-metal compound, which is for bacteria to be toxic, but for humans. The results of the research were recently published in the journal “ACS Nano”.
With metal particles on bacteria hunting
They are the dread of every hospital and nursing home. Drug-resistant germs, diseases such as urinary tract infections or lung inflammation, which not infrequently fatal to many serious infection. The Team of the Professor for bioinorganic chemistry Jim Thomas has now developed for the first time in 50 years, a novel-acting metal compound, which is eaten by the germs, preferably, and then poisons and kills. For the people of the metal, however, is harmless.
The antibacterial properties of Ruthenium
The researchers studied the antibacterial properties of the rare metal Ruthenium, which is already used in cancer research. “We have designed the structure so that it is absorbed by the bacteria, preferably,” says Professor Thomas. In the end, the Team found a compound for gram-negative bacteria are toxic, and for the people.
Active ingredients can, for the first time in the body, followed
The new active ingredient offers a number of other and more exciting possibilities. Because, the discovered compound is luminescent. That means that you to glow when exposed to light. “The uptake and effect on bacteria can be with the available advanced microscope techniques followed,” explains the biochemist in a press release of the study results. This discovery could be pathogens to the most important new therapy against life-threatening Super, the Director of research. The Team wants to test in the following studies, the compound in mammals, before the first trials begin on humans.
According to the model of colloidal silver
This is not the first Time that researchers will use substances at the end of metals to the development of antimicrobial. The antimicrobial properties of silver have long been known. As colloidal silver (nano silver) has been the precious metal up in the first half of the 20th century. Century infection control used and then was forced out due to high costs of production of other agents. But even today, colloidal silver is, for some people of large popularity.
New drugs are urgently required
In a recently published report about drug-resistant pathogens, the WHO has set several gram-negative bacteria at the top of their list of the greatest threats to humanity. It is one of the world’s the highest priority in medical research to find a cure for such a super-pathogen. The new Ruthenium drug could be the long-awaited breakthrough against antibiotic-resistant germs. For more information, read the article: WHO published the Top Ten global health risks. (vb)
