Development of Novel Organometallic Compounds as Antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging healthcare problem. More than 2.8 million cases of antibiotic-resistant infections are reported each year in the U.S., and the emergence of new antibiotic-resistant microbes is a growing concern. Most scientific research is focused on the exploration and development of common antibiotics, but the search for new drug compounds is a necessity. Organometallic compounds are a class of drugs that have largely been overlooked in antibiotic research. These compounds have unique structures that have an impact on microbial growth. In this study, a series of organometallic compounds were first studied using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assays. The compounds were further analyzed using microdilution assays. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC ₅₀ ) and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) were determined for all organometallic compounds. The results of this study showed that this series of organometallic compounds are effective against Gram-positive bacteria and organometallic compounds with silver ion complexes showed greater inhibition and broader susceptibility profiles overall.