Efficacy of Antimicrobial Peptoids against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Resistance of Mycobacterium to antibiotics can make treatments less effective in some cases. We tested selected oligopeptoids—previously reported as mimics of natural host defense peptides—for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and assessed their cytotoxicity. A tetrameric, alkylated, cationic peptoid (1-C13_4mer) was most potent against M. tuberculosis and least cytotoxic, whereas an unalkylated analogue, peptoid 1_4mer, was inactive. Peptoid 1-C13_4mer thus merits further study as a potential antituberculosis drug.