Metalloantibiotics and antibiotic mimics - an overview

The metal cores of metalloantibiotics offer a unique prospect to probe their structure and function at functional groups that can readily be distinguished from the surrounding environment. Metalloantibiotics interact with DNA, RNA, proteins, receptors and lipids, making them very unique and specific. Metal contamination potentially contributes to the maintenance and spread of antibiotic resistance factors. Certain metal ions binding with antibiotics (bleomycin, histatin, and bacitracin) and the Alzheimer’s disease-related β-amyloid peptide exhibited specific biological activities and chemical reactivities. Bismuth-fluoroquinolone complexes have the potential to be developed as drugs against H. pylori related ailments. Antibiotics metal complexes as well as mixed antibiotics metal complexes were found more effective as chemotherapy agents than their parent antibiotics. The addition of vitamin C markedly enhanced the activities of both pomegranates/Fe (II) and pomegranates /Cu (II) combinations against S. aureus.