Antibacterial activity and mechanism of action of auranofin against multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens.

ABSTRACT: Traditional methods employed to discover new antibiotics are both a time-consuming and financially-taxing venture. This has led researchers to mine existing libraries of clinical molecules in order to repurpose old drugs for new applications (as antimicrobials). Such an effort led to the discovery of auranofin, a drug initially approved as an anti-rheumatic agent, which also possesses potent antibacterial activity in a clinically achievable range. The present study demonstrates auranofin's antibacterial activity is a complex process that involves inhibition of multiple biosynthetic pathways including cell wall, DNA, and bacterial protein synthesis. We also confirmed that the lack of activity of auranofin observed against Gram-negative bacteria is due to the permeability barrier conferred b

SUBMITTER: Thangamani S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4776257 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature