Vitamin C potentiates the killing of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> by bedaquiline through metabolic disruption.

ABSTRACT: Tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), continues to pose a major global health threat, exacerbated by the emergence of drug-resistant strains and the lengthy treatment regimens required for effective management. Bedaquiline (BDQ), a key component in novel regimens for multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB, has demonstrated significant efficacy but is threatened by rising resistance. Our study investigates the potential of vitamin C to enhance BDQ's activity and prevent resistance. We found that combining BDQ with vitamin C sterilized drug-susceptible and MDR Mtb cultures in vitro within 21 days, achieving a 6-log reduction in colony-forming units. This combination also enhanced Mtb killing in infected human macrophag

SUBMITTER: Vilcheze C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12345178 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature