Avermectin

Skeletal structure of the 8 different natural avermectins[1]

The avermectins are a series of drugs and pesticides used to treat parasitic worm infestations and to reduce insect pests. They are a group of 16-membered macrocyclic lactone derivatives with potent anthelmintic and insecticidal properties.[2][3] These naturally occurring compounds are generated as fermentation products by Streptomyces avermitilis, a soil actinomycete. Eight different avermectins were isolated in four pairs of homologue compounds (A1, A2, B1, B2), with a major (a-component) and minor (b-component) component usually in ratios of 80:20 to 90:10.[3] Avermectin B1, a mixture of B1a and B1b, is the drug and pesticide abamectin. Other anthelmintics derived from the avermectins include ivermectin, selamectin, doramectin, eprinomectin.

Half of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura for discovering avermectin,[4] "the derivatives of which have radically lowered the incidence of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, as well as showing efficacy against an expanding number of other parasitic diseases."

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference YoonKim2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Ōmura, Satoshi; Shiomi, Kazuro (2007). "Discovery, chemistry, and chemical biology of microbial products". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 79 (4): 581–591. doi:10.1351/pac200779040581.
  3. ^ a b Pitterna, Thomas; Cassayre, Jérôme; Hüter, Ottmar Franz; Jung, Pierre M.J.; Maienfisch, Peter; Kessabi, Fiona Murphy; Quaranta, Laura; Tobler, Hans (2009). "New ventures in the chemistry of avermectins". Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 17 (12): 4085–4095. doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2008.12.069. PMID 19168364.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nobel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).