Researchers discovered that ciprofloxacin, a common antibiotic, can bind to an allosteric site on the ACE enzyme, offering a new mechanism to potentially develop safer and more targeted blood pressure medications, opening new avenues for treating hypertension with fewer side effects.
E. coli infections that are resistant to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin are increasing despite a decrease in its prescription, according to a study. The research suggests that drug-resistant E. coli can persist in the gut microbiomes of individuals, leading to urinary tract infections, particularly in postmenopausal women. The study authors recommend finding better ways to tackle drug-resistant E. coli in the gut, such as using probiotic bacteria or viruses. In another study, researchers found that sleep health plays a role in curbing impulsivity among children impacted by stress, highlighting the importance of adequate sleep duration for neurocognitive development and behavioral control.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a drug called dequalinium chloride (DEQ) that significantly reduces the ability of bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance. The drug slows down the speed at which new mutations are formed in bacteria, which might prolong antibiotic effectiveness. The researchers screened 1,120 drugs approved for human use for their ability to dial down the master bacterial stress response, which they showed counters the emergence of resistance mutations. DEQ fulfilled both requirements and reduced the development of mutations that confer antibiotic resistance, both in laboratory cultures and in animal models of infection, and bacteria did not develop resistance to DEQ.