New Antituberculosis Drug FS-1

The new iodine complex (FS-1), including molecular iodine, which is coordinated by lithium, magnesium halides, and bioorganic ligands, possesses high bactericidal activity against various microorganisms, including Mycobacterium sp., Staphylococcus aureus MRSA and MSSA, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. FS-1 has synergistic properties with a broad class of antibiotics. The experimental model of tuberculosis in guinea pigs caused by clinical multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows antituberculosis, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activity. FS-1 is characterized by low acute toxicity and lack of genotoxicity and mutagenicity. FS-1 is well distributed to organs and tissues; its pharmacokinetics is linear. The maximum nontoxic dose is 100 mg/kg for rats after 28-day oral administration and 30 mg/kg for rabbits after 180-day oral administration.