"The antibiotics were derived from the venom of the scorpion Diplocentrus melici, native to the state of Veracruz. The team was able to isolate two colorless molecules called benzoquinones-heterocyclic compounds that do not contain amino acids-from the arachnid's toxin. These molecules have a particular property: When they come into contact with air, they oxidize and change color. One becomes blue and the other red. This behavior allowed scientists to determine their chemical structure, synthesize them in the laboratory, and evaluate their biological properties."
"The results showed that the blue benzoquinone has the capacity to act against the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, while the red one is effective against Staphylococcus aureus. Richard Zare, a renowned expert in the field of physical chemistry and a professor of chemistry at Stanford University, participated in this process, which strengthened the validation of the findings."
"A team led by Lourival Domingos Possani Postay, from the Institute of Biotechnology's Morelos campus, created two drugs that demonstrated efficacy against the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for tuberculosis, as well as against Staphylococcus aureus, a microorganism that in hospital environments can cause various clinical complications, from skin infections to potentially fatal diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and endocarditis."
"The project also involved the collaboration of Rogelio Hernández Pando, from the Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, who evaluated the effect of blue benzoquinone in a mouse model with induced tuberculosis. After the trials, he concluded that the molecule works as a highly effective antibiotic against"
Three antibiotics derived from scorpion venom and habanero peppers were developed to combat tuberculosis and reduce bacterial resistance. Two drugs showed efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause severe hospital-acquired infections. The antibiotics were obtained from the venom of the scorpion Diplocentrus melici, native to Veracruz. Two colorless benzoquinone molecules were isolated from the toxin; they lack amino acids and oxidize in air, turning blue or red. The color change enabled structural determination, laboratory synthesis, and biological testing. The blue benzoquinone acted against tuberculosis bacteria, while the red benzoquinone targeted Staphylococcus aureus. A mouse model study reported that the blue molecule functioned as a highly effective antibiotic against tuberculosis.
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