Scientists have found a “weapon” against antibiotic resistance that can also defeat malaria
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Scientists in the US have discovered a natural antibiotic that could solve the problem of antibiotic resistance and help fight malaria. It is about the antibiotic arsinothricin (AST) with arsenic in the composition, which was discovered by a team from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine of Florida International University, reports MedicalXpress. Doctors will use arsinothricin to fight the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In collaboration with malaria researchers in the College of Arts, Sciences and Education, the scientists concluded that this drug could stop the transmission of the deadly malaria disease. The research was published in the journal Microorganisms. Laboratory tests have proven that AST, which contains arsenic, is effective against the most common bacteria, including Escherichia coli and mycobacteria, which cause tuberculosis. A team of scientists from Florida International University. Photo: MedicalXpress Malaria is spread through mosquitoes. When an insect bites a sick person, the parasites in his blood infect the mosquito, and he infects other people with malaria. Scientists have found that AST prevents the transmission of the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum from humans to mosquitoes, unlike other known antimalarial drugs. “Current antimalarial drugs do not completely stop malaria transmission, which means patients may continue to be infected by mosquitoes before they recover,” said lead study author Masafumi Yoshinaga, associate professor of cell biology and pharmacology. Photo: natursports/Depositphotos Although AST contains arsenic, an incredibly toxic and deadly poison, it is not pure arsenic. Also, since the early 1900s, arsenic-based drugs have been used for the safe treatment and prevention of many diseases. When AST was tested on liver, kidney and intestinal cells, the antibiotic killed the malaria parasite hiding in human cells, but did not harm the cells themselves. The scientists hope that their discovery will lead to the development of more effective drugs to treat malaria. “The development of new potent multi-step drugs is critical to ensure the elimination and eradication of malaria. We have found that AST is a promising compound for the development of a new class of potent multi-step antimalarial drugs,” added Masafumi Yoshinaga. It will be recalled that 240 million cases of malaria are registered in the world every year, most of which occur in Africa. Malaria cases also occur in Ukraine – they are all “imported” from the tropics. In 2021, WHO approved the first malaria vaccine. Read also: What is the danger of antibiotic resistance and how to avoid it? Advice from the Ministry of Health
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