ArticlemSystems2025
Repurposing bunamidine hydrochloride as a potent antimicrobial agent targeting vancomycin-resistant
Article in mSystems, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Repurposing Azeliragon as a novel antibacterial agent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via combined membrane phospholipids and cell wall targeting.Communications biology · 2026Article
- Drug repurposing: a dual-mechanism antibiotic combats MRSA and its high resistant phenotypes.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a major cause of hospital-acquired infections, with limited treatment options due to rising antibiotic resistance. Targeting bacterial membranes offers a promising alternative to conventional therapies. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of bunamidine hydrochloride (BUN) against VRE. BUN exhibited potent bactericidal effects against both VRE and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE), with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 2 to 4 µg/mL. BUN significantly inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated biofilm-embedded persister cells. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that BUN disrupts bacterial membrane integrity, increasing permeability and depolarization, as confirmed by SYTOX Green staining, DiSC3(5) fluorescence analysis, and electron microscopy. Molecular dynamics simulations further revealed that BUN selectively interacts with phosphatidylglycerol, a key bacterial membrane phospholipid, leading to membrane destabilization. The global rise of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) poses serious challenges in clinical treatment due to limited therapeutic options and rapid resistance development. This study identifies bunamidine hydrochloride (BUN), a previously approved antiparasitic agent, as a potent membrane-targeting antimicrobial with rapid bactericidal activity against both planktonic and biofilm-associated VRE. By selectively interacting with bacterial phosphatidylglycerol, BUN disrupts membrane integrity and inhibits persister cells, while maintaining low cytotoxicity and high
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.