SSPC Pharma Research Centre, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
J Med Microbiol. 2021 May;70(5). doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.001363.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest global health challenges of modern times and its prevalence is rising worldwide. AMR within bacteria reduces the efficacy of antibiotics and increases both the morbidity and the mortality associated with bacterial infections. Despite this growing risk, few antibiotics with a novel mode of action are being produced, leading to a lack of antibiotics that can effectively treat bacterial infections with AMR. Metals have a history of antibacterial use but upon the discovery of antibiotics, often became overlooked as antibacterial agents. Meanwhile, metal-based complexes have been used as treatments for other diseases, such as the gold-containing drug auranofin, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Metal-based antibacterial compounds have novel modes of action that provide an advantage for the treatment of bacterial infections with resistance to conventional antibiotics. In this review, the antibacterial activity, mode of action, and potential for systemic use of a number of metal-based antibacterial complexes are discussed. The current limitations of these compounds are highlighted to determine if metal-based agents are a potential solution for the treatment of bacterial infections, especially those resistant to conventional antibiotics.
抗菌药物耐药性（AMR）是当今全球面临的最大健康挑战之一，其在全球范围内的流行率正在上升。细菌内的 AMR 会降低抗生素的疗效，并增加与细菌感染相关的发病率和死亡率。尽管存在这种日益增长的风险，但具有新型作用机制的抗生素却很少被生产出来，导致缺乏能够有效治疗具有 AMR 的细菌感染的抗生素。金属在过去曾被用于抗菌，但在抗生素被发现后，它们往往被忽视了作为抗菌剂的作用。与此同时，基于金属的配合物已被用于治疗其他疾病，如含有金的药物金诺芬，用于治疗类风湿关节炎。基于金属的抗菌化合物具有新型作用机制，为治疗对抗生素耐药的细菌感染提供了优势。在这篇综述中，讨论了一些基于金属的抗菌配合物的抗菌活性、作用机制和全身应用的潜力。强调了这些化合物目前的局限性，以确定基于金属的药物是否是治疗细菌感染的潜在解决方案，尤其是那些对抗生素耐药的感染。
