The role of reactive oxygen species in the biological activity of antimicrobial agents: An updated mini review

Antimicrobial resistance remains a serious problem that results in high mortality and increased healthcare costs globally. One of the major issues is that resistant pathogens decrease the efficacy of conventional antimicrobials. Accordingly, development of novel antimicrobial agents and therapeutic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemico-biological interactions 2020-04, Vol.320 (C), p.109023-109023, Article 109023
Main Authors: Lam, P.-L., Wong, R.S.-M., Lam, K.-H., Hung, L.-K., Wong, M.-M., Yung, L.-H., Ho, Y.-W., Wong, W.-Y., Hau, D.K.-P., Gambari, R., Chui, C.-H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology
Antimicrobial resistance
Bacteria - drug effects
DNA, Bacterial - drug effects
Humans
Oxidative Stress
Pathogenic microorganisms
Reactive oxygen species
Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
Safety
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Antimicrobial resistance remains a serious problem that results in high mortality and increased healthcare costs globally. One of the major issues is that resistant pathogens decrease the efficacy of conventional antimicrobials. Accordingly, development of novel antimicrobial agents and therapeutic strategies is urgently needed to overcome the challenge of antimicrobial resistance. A potential strategy is to kill pathogenic microorganisms via the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are defined as a number of highly reactive molecules that comprise molecular oxygen (O2), superoxide anion (O2•−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). ROS exhibit antimicrobial actions against a broad range of pathogens through the induction of oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between ROS and the ability of the antioxidant defence system to detoxify ROS. ROS-dependent oxidative stress can damage cellular macromolecules, including DNA, lipids and proteins. This article reviews the antimicrobial action of ROS, challenges to ROS hypothesis, work to solidify ROS-mediated antimicrobial lethality hypothesis, recent developments in antimicrobial agents using ROS as an antimicrobial strategy, safety concerns related to ROS, and future directions in ROS research. •Reactive oxygen species (ROS) could combat antimicrobial resistance.•ROS are used as an antimicrobial strategy because of their toxicity to a broad range of microbial pathogens.•ROS exert antimicrobial activity via an induction of oxidative stress in microbial cells.•Oxidative stress caused by ROS leads to microbial DNA damage, and ultimately inducing cell death.
ISSN:0009-2797
1872-7786
DOI:10.1016/j.cbi.2020.109023