Antimicrobial activity of phenothiazines

[Abram Hoffer]

I find this fascinating... Perhaps, you will too (or maybe not). Any thoughts?

Thioridazine is known to kill multidrug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis and MRSA at clinical concentrations.

"Because thioridazine, a relatively mild neuroleptic as compared to its parental compound chlorpromazine, kills intracellular MDRTB and MRSA at clinical concentrations, its use for the management of these infections may be considered."
Antimicrobial activity of phenothiazines.

Amaral L, Viveiros M, Molnar J.
Unit of Mycobacteriology/UPMM/Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical/Universidade de Lisboa, 1394-008 Lisbon, Portugal. [email protected]
Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDRTB) and antibiotic-resistant Plasmodium falciparum are the major global lethal infections accounting for over 4 million deaths per year. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the major global nosocomial infection and resistance to vancomycin is evident and may become common. This review provides the scientific and medical basis that support the use of one particular group of compounds, the phenothiazines, and in particular thioridazine, for the management of the above antibiotic-resistant infections. Because thioridazine, a relatively mild neuroleptic as compared to its parental compound chlorpromazine, kills intracellular MDRTB and MRSA at clinical concentrations, its use for the management of these infections may be considered. The review also discusses the activity of phenothiazines against protozoa and parasites, the mechanisms by which phenothiazines promote their antimicrobial effects, their potential for regulating efflux pumps that are a cause for mono or multidrug resistance, as well as their potential for the therapy of problematic infections caused by bacteria that have acquired plasmid-antibiotic-resistant genes.

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[whopper]

Had no idea, but not surprised. I think sometimes the medical community tends to become locked in the mind box once a medication is set to work in one discipline, no one considers it could workoutside it.

E.g. I've read evidence that Tamoxifen may have mood stabilizer propeties, Estrogen may have antipsychotic benefits, Depakote may be able to help rid HIV that hide within T-cells & neurons, etc.

I am very glad you find this fascinating because educators need to emphasize to students that the practice of medicine simply isn't about giving medication x to treat disease y and that's it. Understanding why its doing what its doing & trying to incorporate all fields of knowledge to your medical knowledge, in addition to interacting all the subspecialities together is important. That is an aspect I think a lot of doctors tend to lose.