title: Antibacterial spectra of drugs used for chemotherapy of mycobacterial infections.
abstract: The mechanism of action of many antimycobacterial agents is poorly understood. To obtain preliminary information on whether the targets for some of these drugs might also occur in other bacteria, the in vitro activities of selected agents against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were determined. Dapsone, p-aminosalicylic acid and thiacetazone failed to inhibit the above organisms (MIC values > 100 micrograms/ml) that may therefore lack targets for these drugs. Capreomycin, viomycin and clofazimine demonstrated activity against some of the organisms (MIC values < 100 micrograms/ml) suggesting that the targets of these drugs may not be restricted to mycobacterial species. The agents were all potent inhibitors of Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (MIC values 0.08-0.5 microgram/ml).
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comanducci
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chopra
mesh_terms: D010131:Aminosalicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002207:Capreomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003622:Dapsone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D014756:Viomycin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D002207:Capreomycin; D010131:Aminosalicylic Acid; D003622:Dapsone; D002991:Clofazimine; D014756:Viomycin