Antibiotics
“The term "antibiotic" was coined by Selman Waksman in 1942 to describe any substance produced by a microorganism that is antagonistic to the growth of other microorganisms in high dilution. This definition excluded substances that kill bacteria but are not produced by microorganisms (such as gastric juices and hydrogen peroxide. It also excluded synthetic antibacterial compounds such as the sulfonamides. Many antibacterial compounds are relatively small molecules with a molecular weight of less than 2000 atomic mass units.” (Wikipedia, Antibiotics, 3/11/2011)
Recent Journal Articles
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Novel Types of Persulfide-Spacer α-O-glycosides: Formation of a Super Hydrophobic Layer via a Self-Organization Effect Through the Strong Hydrogen Bonding Interaction
(187 – 197)) Journal of Macromolecular Science Part A - Pure and Applied Chemistry 48 #3 (2011)
Hassan of Alexandria University, Eygpt synthesized polyether-based polyols derived from carbohydrates carrying a thioether-spacer in the attempt to potentially provide new antibiotics. The monosaccharide cores are based on d-galactose, d-mannose and d-glucose and the spacer are being built by allylation of the free hydroxyl groups followed by the radical addition of 2-mercaptoethanol using a radical initiator.The SEM image of methyl 2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-[3-(hydroxythioethyl)-propyl]--d-mannopyranoside, as a representative example, demonstrated a super hydrophobic layer formed via a self-organization effect through the strong hydrogen bonding interactions of the spacer groups. The investigated compounds exhibited antimicrobial activity against the two tested gram-negative bacteria, E. coli, Pseudomonas and the tested fungus Candida albicans at a concentration of 1 mg/cm3 dissolved in DMF. No antimicrobial activity against the tested gram-positive bacterium, S. aureus was detected. (RDC 2/21/2011)