American and Dutch scientists have recently discovered a new antibiotic that can combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This compound is found in a type of fungus in the coniferous forests of Northern Europe and is as potent as penicillin and vancomycin.
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Streptococcus Bacteria |
Most of the antibiotics we use today are derived from certain types of fungi or bacteria found in soil. However, no new antibiotics have been discovered from these sources in the past decade. Dr. Robert Lehrer from the University of California, along with his colleagues in the Netherlands, stated that their discovery could help treat a wide range of diseases.
Tests conducted on mice showed that the antibiotic plectasin is relatively non-toxic and exhibits effectiveness comparable to vancomycin and penicillin when treating animals suffering from pneumonia or enteritis caused by Streptococcus bacteria. Strep bacteria can lead to diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, or various forms of necrotizing skin infections.
If proven safe and effective in humans, this antibiotic could be on the market by 2012. This finding indicates that humans can seek new antibiotics from the vast array of existing fungi. Plectasin is a tiny protein molecule belonging to a larger group known as defensins. Humans have defensins in white blood cells and on the skin, but scientists believe that plectasin is more potent and specifically targets certain types of bacteria.
Minh Sơn (According to Nature)
