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Updated: May 10, 2026

Identification and Quantification of Deranged Metabolites in Critically Ill Patients Using NMR-Based Metabolomics
Published on: November 29, 2024
Determination of antiprotozoal drug mechanisms by metabolomics approaches
Darren J Creek1, Michael P Barrett2
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Rd, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
The discovery, development and optimal utilization of pharmaceuticals can be greatly enhanced by knowledge of their modes of action. However, many drugs currently on the market act by unknown mechanisms. Untargeted metabolomics offers the potential to discover modes of action for drugs that perturb cellular metabolism. Development of high resolution LC-MS methods and improved data analysis software now allows rapid detection of drug-induced changes to cellular metabolism in an untargeted manner. Several studies have demonstrated the ability of untargeted metabolomics to provide unbiased target discovery for antimicrobial drugs, in particular for antiprotozoal agents. Furthermore, the utilization of targeted metabolomics techniques has enabled validation of existing hypotheses regarding antiprotozoal drug mechanisms. Metabolomics approaches are likely to assist with optimization of new drug candidates by identification of drug targets, and by allowing detailed characterization of modes of action and resistance of existing and novel antiprotozoal drugs.
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