Aminoglycoside-aminocyclitols including
streptomycin,
kanamycin,
capreomycin and
amikacin showed considerable activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with MICs well below their Cmax and relatively low MBC/MIC ratios.
Kanamycin,
capreomycin and
amikacin remained highly active against 'resistant' and 'multidrug-resistant' M.
tuberculosis isolates except for some 'multidrug-resistant' isolates which showed complete cross-resistance between
streptomycin and the selected 2-deoxystreptamines.
Gentamicin displayed anti-tuberculous activity but was bacteriostatic only. Non-
tuberculosis mycobacteria, in particular Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, were more resistant than M.
tuberculosis.
Amikacin was inhibitory against Mycobacterium kanasii, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum and Mycobacterium fortuitum, but was bactericidal against M. scrofulaceum only.
Kanamycin was also bactericidal against M. scrofulaceum. Growth of M. fortuitum was inhibited by
amikacin and
neomycin which was also inhibitory against M.
tuberculosis and M. scrofulaceum. Although the application of
neomycin has been limited by its high toxicity, this study suggested that this
drug might be useful as a topical agent for cutaneous
infections by M. fortuitum.