MRSA Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about MRSA, including details on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, hospitals, infection, antibiotic resistance, superbugs.

New bisanthraquinone antibiotics and semi-synthetic derivatives with potent activity against clinical Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium isolates.

Socha AM, LaPlante KL, Rowley DC

Department of Biomedical, University of Rhode Island, 53 Fogarty Hall Kingston, RI 02881, USA.

The escalation of antibiotic resistance among Gram-positive pathogens presents increasing treatment challenges and requires the development of innovative therapeutic agents. Here, we present the antimicrobial properties of structurally unusual bisanthraquinone metabolites produced by a marine streptomycete and four semi-synthetic derivatives. Biological activities were measured against clinically derived isolates of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), and methicillin-susceptible, methicillin-resistant, and tetracycline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA, MRSA, and TRSA, respectively). The most potent antibiotic displayed MIC(50) values of 0.11, 0.23, and 0.90microM against a panel (n=25 each) of clinical MSSA, MRSA, and VRE, respectively, and was determined to be bactericidal by time-kill analysis.

Published 7 November 2006 in Bioorg Med Chem, 14(24): 8446-54.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 MRSA Research Today. All Rights Reserved.