| 2018 | Nanoplasmonics for Real-Time and Label-Free Monitoring of Microbial Biofilm Formation. | ACS Sens | Microbial biofilms possess intrinsic resistance against conventional antibiotics and cleaning procedures; thus, a better understanding of their complex biological structures is crucial in both medical and industrial applications. Existing laboratory methodologies have focused on macroscopic and mostly indirect characterization of mechanical and microbiological properties of biofilms adhered on a given substrate. However, the kinetics underlying the biofilm formation is not well understood, while such information is critical to understanding how drugs and chemicals influence the biofilm formation. Herein, we report the use of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for real-time, label-free monitoring of E. coli biofilm assembly on a nanoplasmonic substrate consisting of gold mushroom-like structures. Our LSPR sensor is able to capture the signatures of biofilm formation in real-time by measuring the wavelength shift in the LSPR resonance peak with high temporal resolution. We employ this sensor feature to elucidate how biofilm formation is affected by different drugs, including conventional antibiotics (Kanamycin and ampicillin) as well as rifapentine, a molecule preventing cell adhesion yet barely affecting bacterial viability and vitality. Due to its flexibility and simplicity, our LSPR based platform can be used on a wide variety of clinically relevant bacteria, thus representing a valuable tool in biofilm characterization and drug screening. |
| 2014 | Bedaquiline: a review of human pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions. | J Antimicrob Chemother | Bedaquiline has recently been approved for the treatment of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) as part of combination therapy in adults. It is metabolized primarily by the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4) to a less-active N-monodesmethyl metabolite. Phase I and Phase II studies in healthy subjects and patients with drug-susceptible or multidrug-resistant TB have assessed the pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interaction profile of bedaquiline. Potential interactions have been assessed between bedaquiline and first- and second-line anti-TB drugs (rifampicin, rifapentine, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, Kanamycin, ofloxacin and cycloserine), commonly used antiretroviral agents (lopinavir/ritonavir, nevirapine and efavirenz) and a potent CYP3A inhibitor (ketoconazole). This review summarizes the pharmacokinetic profile of bedaquiline as well as the results of the drug-drug interaction studies. |
| 1994 | Antimycobacterial drugs. | Semin Respir Infect | This review consists of the following three sections: (1) General principles in selecting antimycobacterial drugs for the treatment regimens, (2) The antimicrobial activity in vitro with an emphasis on inhibitory and bactericidal potency of various agents, and (3) Drug susceptibility testing including methodology and interpretation of the test results. Each of these sections addresses three groups of antimycobacterial agents: (1) against tuberculosis, (2) against Mycobacterium avium complex infections, and (3) against infections caused by M. fortuitum and M chelonae. The following are the drugs examined in the sections and subsections of this review: isoniazid, ethionamide, thiacetazone, rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine, KRM-1648, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, Kanamycin, amikacin, capreomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, ethambutol, para-aminosalicylic acid, D-cycloserine, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloin, clofazimine, clarithromycin, azithromycin, erythromycin, cefoxitin, cefmetazole, imipenem, sulfamethoxazole, sulfisoxazole, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, trimethoprim, and doxycycline. |