80-Year-Old Antibiotic Shows Promise Against Superbug Crisis: Report
NDTV
Researchers are revisiting streptothricin, an antibiotic developed over 80 years ago and previously sidelined due to toxicity concerns.
Researchers are re-examining streptothricin, an antibiotic that was first created more than 80 years ago, in hopes of determining whether it might effectively combat drug-resistant superbugs. Streptothricin, which was isolated in the 1940s but was put on hold because of toxicity concerns, is currently being investigated again under the moniker nourseothricin.
The revived use of this ancient medication may offer much-needed remedies in the fight against antibiotic resistance, since the World Health Organisation lists gram-negative bacteria as one of the most harmful infections. The study was published in PLOS Biology.
According to ScienceAlert, in 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a list of the most dangerous, drug-resistant pathogens out there. Most were gram-negative bacteria.
