Boromycin (Boron + Erythromycin)
What is Boromycin?
Boromycin is a bacteriocidal polyether-macrolide antibiotic initially extracted from Streptomyces antibioticus. This compound stands out as the inaugural natural product discerned to encompass the boron element (1). Its efficacy is mainly pronounced against Gram-positive bacteria; however, Gram-negative bacteria largely remain unaffected (1). The bactericidal action of Boromycin is attributable to its perturbation of the cytoplasmic membrane, culminating in potassium ion depletion from bacterial cells (1). Notably, Boromycin has not secured approval for therapeutic use in humans (1).
Uses of Boromycin
Research endeavors have unearthed potential health advantages linked to Boromycin, including:
- Prompt antibiotic action against both asexual and sexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum, the etiological agent behind malaria (3) (5).
- Exhibiting anti-HIV properties (4) (6).
Dosage
Considering that Boromycin hasn't garnered approval for therapeutic applications, no standardized dosage pertinent to human use exists (1).
Side Effects
Information pertaining to Boromycin's side effects remains scant, primarily since it hasn't been sanctioned for medical deployment (1).
Interactions
Similar to side effects, the interaction profile of Boromycin with other drugs remains largely underexplored due to its non-approval status for medical purposes (1).
Summary:
Boromycin emerges as a bacteriocidal polyether-macrolide antibiotic, originally derived from Streptomyces antibioticus. It's especially noteworthy for being the maiden natural product identified to incorporate boron. The potential health benefits attributed to Boromycin span from offering rapid antibiotic efficacy against Plasmodium falciparum stages to manifesting anti-HIV activity. Yet, its non-approval for medicinal use implies no standardized human dosage guidelines are available. Furthermore, due to its non-clinical status, comprehensive data regarding its side effects and interactions remain elusive.
Citations:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boromycin
(2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/boromycin
(3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35096650/
(4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8695905/
(5) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.802294
(6) https://academic.oup.com/bbb/article/60/6/1036/5951803