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Published on: August 31, 2015
One-Electron Reduction of Penicillins in Relation to the Oxidative Stress Phenomenon
László Szabó1,2, Tünde Tóth3, Erzsébet Takács4,5
1Institute for Energy Security and Environmental Safety, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest H-1121, Hungary. szabo.laszlo@energia.mta.hu.
Abstract:
Certain bactericidal antibiotics target mitochondrial components and, due to the leakage of electrons from the electron transport chain, one-electron reduction might occur that can lead to intermediates passing the electron to suitable acceptors. This study aimed at investigating the one-electron reduction mechanism of selected penicillin derivatives using pulse radiolysis techniques. Penicillins can accommodate the electron on each of their carbonyl carbon. Ketyl radicals are thus produced, which are reducing agents with possibility to interact with suitable biomolecules. A detailed mechanism of the reduction is reported.
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