Difference between revisions of "Ionophores in Society"

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Ionophores are not only chemically interesting in their own right but have important medical and economic roles in our society.

A selection of ionophores for study in chemistry courses for pre-med, vet, pharmacy, pharmacology, biochemistry, and other science students is presented below.

The ion transport ability of these ionophores can be easily studied using tethered membrane technology.

Amphotericin B

Amphotericin B is an antibiotic used to treat serious fungal infections. It forms ion channels in the fungal cell membrane with the assistance of ergosterol which is a naturally occurring lipid in fungal membranes. As a medicine it is taken intravenously as a liposomal preparation.

While its affinity for ergosterol makes it target fungal cells, it can also interact, though to a lesser extent, with the cholesterol in mammalian cells. This limits its therapeutic dosage because of toxicity.

Amphotericin B is similar both in structure and in action to Nystatin.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/amphotericin-b.html

Beauvericin

Beauvericin is closely related to the enniatins. It is a potentially toxic agent found in grain crops affected by fungus.

Occurrence of Beauvericin and Enniatins in Wheat Affected by Fusarium avenaceum Head Blight. A. Logrieco, A. Rizzo, R. Ferracane, and A. Ritieni, Applied Environmental Microbiology, 68, 82-85, 2002. doi: 10.1128/AEM.68.1.82-85.2002

http://aem.asm.org/content/68/1/82.full

Gramicidin

Gramicidin is used as a topical antibiotic. It is often regarded as the archetypal ion channel despite its unusual dimer arrangement in the cell membrane. It was also one of the first commercially available antibiotics.

Gramicidin is usually sold as a mixture of related linear polypeptides by Sigma-Aldrich and many other suppliers. The main component is Gramicidin A.

Gramicidin S is an unusual macrocyclic variant.

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=Gramicidin

Enniatin complex

Enniatins are produced by fungal species that commonly infect wheat and other grains. High levels are potentially toxic.

There have also been some reports of Enniantins having promise as antibiotics.

http://toxinology.nilu.no/Researchareas/Fungaltoxins/Factsheets/Enniatins/tabid/4536/Default.aspx

Lasalocid monosodium salt

Lasalocid is commonly used as an antibiotic for control of coccidiosis, a protozoan parasite of poultry and livestock.

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=Lasalocid

Maduramicin

Maduramicin is used as an antibiotic for control of coccidiosis, a protozoan parasite of poultry and livestock.

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=Maduramicin

Monensin A

Monensin is used in the livestock industry as a food supplement, where it can alter the gut flora (bacteria populations) of the animal so that animal growth rates are improved.

http://www.bioagrimix.com/haccp/html/ionophores.html

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=Monensin

Narasin sodium salt

Narasin is a derivative of salinomycin, and has similar properties.

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=narasin

Nystatin A1

Nystatin is an antifungal antibiotic often prescribed for the treatment of Candida infections. It forms ion channels in the fungal cell membrane with the assistance of ergosterol which is a naturally occurring lipid in fungal membranes. As a medicine Nystatin is taken orally or topically.

While its affinity for ergosterol makes it target fungal cells, it can also interact, though to a lesser extent, with the cholesterol in mammalian cells. This can limit its therapeutic dosage because of toxicity.

It is similar both in structure and in action to Amphotericin B.

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=nystatin

Salinomycin sodium salt

Salinomycin is used in the livestock industry as a food supplement, where it can alter the gut flora (bacteria populations) of the animal so that animal growth rates are improved.

It is also being investigated as an anti-cancer agent.

http://www.bioagrimix.com/haccp/html/ionophores.html

http://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/binaries/intp1069_SACOX_tcm96-86731.pdf

http://www.drugs.com/search.php?searchterm=salinomycin

Valinomycin

Valinomycin is historically one of the best known ionophores for its 10⁵ fold selectivity for potassium over sodium ions. It is being investigated as an antibiotic.

It is used in the manufacture of potassium ion selective electrodes.