The effect of tinidazole, metronidazole and nitrofurazone on nucleic acid synthesis in Clostridium bifermentans

Abstract

The nitroimidazole drugs, metronidazole and tinidazole inhibit DNA synthesis and degrade existing DNA in exponentially growing cultures of Clostridium bifermentans. The nitrofuran, nitrofurazone has a much weaker inhibitory effect, and does not degrade DNA. In contrast, RNA synthesis is unaffected by the nitroimidazole drugs, but is significantly inhibited by nitrofurazone. It is proposed that the inhibitory and degradative effects of the nitroimidazoles play an important part in the mechanism of action of these drugs. The possible nature of the reduction product of nitroimidazole drugs is discussed.