A REVIEW ARTICLE ON RECENT CHANGES IN FLUOROQUINOLONES

Quinolones are potent antimicrobial agents with a basic chemical structure of bicyclic ring. Fluorine atom at position C-6 and various substituents on basic quinolone structure, namely norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and other agents and target molecules of quinolones and fluoroquinolones are bacterial gyrase and topoisomerase IV enzymes. Fluoroquinolones introduced in clinical trials namely avarofloxacin, delafloxacin, Finafloxacin, zabofloxacin and nonfluorinated nemonoxacin.

Fluoroquinolones endure of the most important kind of antibacterial agents and the emergence of more virulent and resistant strains of bacteria by development of mutated DNA, binding proteins, efflux pump mechanism. The new generations of fluoroquinolones with a spectrum activity includes Gram +Ve Gram -Ve and atypical bacteria. Many fluoroquinolones have other biological effects such as anti-HIV, anti-fungal, anti-plasmodic and anti-tumor activity.

Keywords: Chemical structure, Clinical trials, Pharmacokinetics, Quinolones, Safety, Tolerability, Toxicity