Alternative Treatments for Necrotizing Enterocolitis using Computer-Aided Drug Design
Session Number
Project ID: MEDH 03
Advisor(s)
Dr. John Thurmond; Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Discipline
Medical and Health Sciences
Start Date
19-4-2023 8:50 AM
End Date
19-4-2023 9:05 AM
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease that affects the intestines, primarily in prematurely-born newborns. NEC is the death of intestinal tissue following inflammation and infection. It is likely caused by the immaturity of the intestines and the growth of dangerous bacteria. The current treatments for NEC include both natural treatments and antibiotic treatments. One natural treatment people frequently use is stopping feedings and using intravenous fluids instead for nutrition. For antibiotic treatment, some commonly-used drugs are gentamicin, metronidazole, and ampicillin. Despite the benefits of these drugs in minimizing the effects of NEC, they also have side effects. For example, gentamicin is ototoxic, meaning it can cause serious hearing issues. Using computer-aided drug design, over 200 new molecules were designed based on the gentamicin drug molecule, many of which are able to bind better than the original gentamicin molecule.
Alternative Treatments for Necrotizing Enterocolitis using Computer-Aided Drug Design
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease that affects the intestines, primarily in prematurely-born newborns. NEC is the death of intestinal tissue following inflammation and infection. It is likely caused by the immaturity of the intestines and the growth of dangerous bacteria. The current treatments for NEC include both natural treatments and antibiotic treatments. One natural treatment people frequently use is stopping feedings and using intravenous fluids instead for nutrition. For antibiotic treatment, some commonly-used drugs are gentamicin, metronidazole, and ampicillin. Despite the benefits of these drugs in minimizing the effects of NEC, they also have side effects. For example, gentamicin is ototoxic, meaning it can cause serious hearing issues. Using computer-aided drug design, over 200 new molecules were designed based on the gentamicin drug molecule, many of which are able to bind better than the original gentamicin molecule.