TUBERCULOSIS AND NEW ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS DRUGS IN PIPELINE

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. One thirds of the world's population is infected with this disease and hence the world is at the risk of developing active tuberculosis. The emergence of more and more drug resistant cases threatens the control of the disease. Additionally, the lengthy and complex process of diagnosis and treatment is connected with several harmful side effects and poor outcomes which highlight the need to urgently develop new and effective drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis. New drugs should target persistent, active and resistant bacteria. Recent research in this area generated various potential compounds which can act as a 'lead' and then can progress to 'hit'. Present paper discusses tuberculosis in detail, its worldwide burden, transmission, diagnosis, traditional treatment, new anti-tubercular drugs approved recently and other classes like benzothiazinone and benzothiazole which are in the pipeline to enter pre- clinical stage.