Tetracycline antibiotics

Abstract Tetracyclines belong to the first broad-spectrum, well-tolerated, and easy-to-administer antibiotics, which are effective against plague, cholera, typhoid, syphilis, Legionnaire’s disease, anthrax. Some can also be used treat malaria, Lyme tuberculosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, leprosy. Humans encountered these chemical species involuntarily in ancient times, as evidenced from analysis of bone samples dating back more than 1500 years. Shortly after World War II, they were “rediscovered” at Lederle Laboratories Pfizer a result an intense search for new antibiotics. Their bacteriostatic action is based on inhibition protein biosynthesis. Since structure elucidation by Robert Woodward, Lloyd Hillyard Conover, others 1950s, tetracyclines have become preferred targets natural product synthesis. However, industrial scale, became readily available fermentation partial casual thoughtless use initial decades launch not only humans but veterinary purposes growth-enhancement agents meat production rapidly led emergence resistance. In arms race drugs been developed deal with threat. this ongoing endeavor, remarkable milestone was set Andrew Myers 2005 convergent total synthesis (?)-doxycycline, well numerous azatetracyclines pentacyclines, has inspired chemists pharmaceutical industry discover novel highly active recent Graphic abstract