Superbugs "refer to bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Researchers unexpectedly discovered a promising and potent antibiotic in the production process of a commonly used drug, which can kill "superbugs" such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Monash University in Australia announced in a press release that its researchers have discovered an antibiotic called methicillin C-lactone in a joint project with the University of Warwick in the UK. This intermediate substance is produced during the preparation of the commonly used antibiotic, methicillin A. One of the main authors of the study, Professor Greg Chalis from Monash University, said: 'Methyltetracycline A was first discovered 50 years ago, and although it has been synthesized multiple times, it seems that no one has tested the antibacterial activity of the synthetic intermediate.'. ”This study found that an intermediate in the synthesis of methicillin-resistant streptomycin A, methicillin-resistant C-lactone, has more than 100 times higher antibacterial activity against various Gram positive bacteria than the original antibiotic methicillin-resistant streptomycin A, including the most troublesome methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus in the medical community. Researchers say that this discovery provides a new model for searching for novel antibiotics. By identifying and testing intermediates in various natural compound synthesis pathways, it is possible to discover new antibiotics that are more effective in combating antibiotic resistance, which will help humans combat the problem of antibiotic resistance. The relevant research paper has recently been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. (New Society)