Antibiotics
Study finds madecassic acid, a Centella compound used in skincare, can inhibit drug-resistant E. coli in lab tests
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Researchers at the University of Kent, working with University College London, report that madecassic acid—a compound derived from the medicinal herb Centella asiatica and widely used in skincare—can inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant E. coli by targeting a bacterial respiratory system not found in humans or other animals.
British surgeon Ara Darzi told the WIRED Health conference that artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant infections. He cautioned that insufficient incentives might block these innovations from reaching patients. Antibiotic resistance already causes over a million deaths worldwide each year.
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Researchers at Caltech have discovered how viruses infect bacteria by disabling a key protein called MurJ, essential for cell wall construction. This mechanism, revealed through high-resolution imaging, suggests a new approach to combating antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The findings highlight convergent evolution in unrelated viruses blocking MurJ similarly.
Scientists have captured the first detailed images revealing how the common antibiotic rifampicin disrupts E. coli bacteria at a molecular level. Using advanced cryo-electron tomography, researchers visualized the drug binding to bacterial machinery, halting growth. The findings, published in Nature, offer new insights into antibiotic mechanisms.