Nitazoxanide kills replicating and nonreplicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis and evades resistance.
We report here that nitazoxanide (NTZ) and its active metabolite kill replicating and nonreplicating M. tuberculosis at low microg/mL levels. NTZ appears to evade resistance, as we were unable to recover resistant colonies, using up to 10(12) colony forming units. Therefore, NTZ is a novel lead compound that kills replicating and nonreplicating M. tuberculosis by a novel mechanism of action, which appears to bypass the development of resistance.
de Carvalho
Luiz Pedro S
LP
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, USA.
Lin
Gang
G
Jiang
Xiuju
X
Nathan
Carl
C
D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004351:Drug Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; C041747:nitazoxanide