Biomaterial Database

Antimicrobial activity of metronidazole in anaerobic bacteria. 1978

F P Tally, and B R Goldin, and N Sullivan, and J Johnston, and S L Gorbach

The antimicrobial activity of metronidazole was investigated in anaerobic bacteria by use of time-viability studies. This antimicrobial agent has a rapid onset of bactericidal activity under proper reducing conditions. The bactericidal rates were not affected by inoculum size or nutritional requirements, nor by inhibition of growth and protein synthesis by chloramphenicol. Using supernatant fractions of actively growing cultures of susceptible organisms, we observed a disappearance of metronidazole and a loss of biological activity, but there was no significant change in preparations from resistant bacteria. The decrease in drug concentration with susceptible cells occurred during the time that its bactericidal action was being exerted. Extracts from susceptible organisms rapidly reduced the concentration of metronidazole, confirming previous observations which suggest that the drug acts as a terminal electron acceptor. Radioisotope experiments with [14C]metronidazole revealed that the compound was taken up by both resistant and susceptible bacteria, although there was a difference in rate and extent of accumulation. These studies demonstrate that metronidazole's antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria is bactericidal and independent of growth rate, and that it involves the uptake and metabolism of the compound.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008795	Metronidazole	A nitroimidazole used to treat AMEBIASIS; VAGINITIS; TRICHOMONAS INFECTIONS; GIARDIASIS; ANAEROBIC BACTERIA; and TREPONEMAL INFECTIONS.	2-Methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-ethanol,Bayer 5360,Clont,Danizol,Flagyl,Gineflavir,Metric,MetroGel,Metrodzhil,Metrogyl,Metronidazole Hydrochloride,Metronidazole Monohydrochloride,Metronidazole Phosphate,Metronidazole Phosphoester,Satric,Trichazol,Trichopol,Trivazol,Vagilen,2 Methyl 5 nitroimidazole 1 ethanol
D008826	Microbial Sensitivity Tests	Any tests that demonstrate the relative efficacy of different chemotherapeutic agents against specific microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi, viruses).	Bacterial Sensitivity Tests,Drug Sensitivity Assay, Microbial,Minimum Inhibitory Concentration,Antibacterial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Antibiogram,Antimicrobial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Bacterial Sensitivity Test,Breakpoint Determination, Antibacterial Susceptibility,Breakpoint Determination, Antimicrobial Susceptibility,Fungal Drug Sensitivity Tests,Fungus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Sensitivity Test, Bacterial,Sensitivity Tests, Bacterial,Test, Bacterial Sensitivity,Tests, Bacterial Sensitivity,Viral Drug Sensitivity Tests,Virus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Antibiograms,Concentration, Minimum Inhibitory,Concentrations, Minimum Inhibitory,Inhibitory Concentration, Minimum,Inhibitory Concentrations, Minimum,Microbial Sensitivity Test,Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations,Sensitivity Test, Microbial,Sensitivity Tests, Microbial,Test, Microbial Sensitivity,Tests, Microbial Sensitivity
D002701	Chloramphenicol	An antibiotic first isolated from cultures of Streptomyces venequelae in 1947 but now produced synthetically. It has a relatively simple structure and was the first broad-spectrum antibiotic to be discovered. It acts by interfering with bacterial protein synthesis and is mainly bacteriostatic. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 29th ed, p106)	Cloranfenicol,Kloramfenikol,Levomycetin,Amphenicol,Amphenicols,Chlornitromycin,Chlorocid,Chloromycetin,Detreomycin,Ophthochlor,Syntomycin
D003013	Clostridium	A genus of motile or nonmotile gram-positive bacteria of the family Clostridiaceae. Many species have been identified with some being pathogenic. They occur in water, soil, and in the intestinal tract of humans and lower animals.
D003016	Clostridium perfringens	The most common etiologic agent of GAS GANGRENE. It is differentiable into several distinct types based on the distribution of twelve different toxins.	Clostridium welchii
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D001421	Bacteria, Anaerobic	Bacteria that can survive and grow in the complete, or nearly complete absence of oxygen.	Anaerobic Bacteria
D001439	Bacteroides	A genus of gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria. Its organisms are normal inhabitants of the oral, respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital cavities of humans, animals, and insects. Some species may be pathogenic.
D001441	Bacteroides fragilis	Gram-negative bacteria occurring in the lower intestinal tracts of man and other animals. It is the most common species of anaerobic bacteria isolated from human soft tissue infections.