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Related Concept Videos

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis01:25

Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis

Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism01:21

Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism

Polymorphism refers to the existence of a drug substance in multiple crystalline forms, known as polymorphs. Recently, this term has been expanded to include solvates (forms containing a solvent), amorphous forms (non-crystalline forms), and desolvated solvates (forms from which the solvent has been removed).
Some polymorphic crystals possess lower aqueous solubility than their amorphous counterparts, leading to incomplete absorption. For instance, the oral suspension of Chloramphenicol, which...
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism01:27

Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism

Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis01:28

Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis

Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These antibiotics are selectively...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Purification of Human S100A12 and Its Ion-induced Oligomers for Immune Cell Stimulation
12:55

Purification of Human S100A12 and Its Ion-induced Oligomers for Immune Cell Stimulation

Published on: September 29, 2019

Polymyxins revisited.

David Landman1, Claudiu Georgescu, Don Antonio Martin

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.

Clinical Microbiology Reviews
|July 16, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Polymyxins are crucial for treating multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections. Further research is needed to optimize dosing and in vitro testing for these vital antibiotics.

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Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Purification of Human S100A12 and Its Ion-induced Oligomers for Immune Cell Stimulation
12:55

Purification of Human S100A12 and Its Ion-induced Oligomers for Immune Cell Stimulation

Published on: September 29, 2019

Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method
12:03

Antimicrobial Synergy Testing by the Inkjet Printer-assisted Automated Checkerboard Array and the Manual Time-kill Method

Published on: April 18, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The rise of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli has led to a resurgence in the use of polymyxins, antibiotics previously limited by toxicity concerns.
  • Polymyxins are now essential for treating infections caused by resistant pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • Despite their renewed importance, optimal dosing strategies and reliable in vitro susceptibility testing methods for polymyxins require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current role and challenges associated with polymyxin use in clinical practice.
  • To highlight the need for standardized in vitro testing and established breakpoints for polymyxins.
  • To discuss the clinical efficacy and safety of polymyxins in comparison to other antibiotic classes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of contemporary clinical studies and surveillance data on polymyxin usage.
  • Analysis of in vitro susceptibility testing methodologies and their reliability.
  • Evaluation of clinical outcomes and toxicity profiles in patients treated with polymyxins.

Main Results:

  • Polymyxin therapy for multidrug-resistant infections shows comparable clinical response and toxicity rates to carbapenem therapy for susceptible infections.
  • While most studies report high susceptibility rates, the emergence of polymyxin-resistant strains is a growing concern.
  • Polymyxins have established a significant role in managing hospital-acquired infections.

Conclusions:

  • Polymyxins are indispensable agents for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria.
  • Further research into optimal dosing and standardized in vitro diagnostics is critical for maximizing polymyxin efficacy and safety.
  • Continued investigation into polymyxin use will ensure their sustained clinical utility against evolving resistant pathogens.