A Note on Derivatives of Isoniazid,Rifampicin, and Pyrazinamide Showing Activity Against Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Drug‐resistant tuberculosis (DR‐TB) is a serious problem that impedes the success of the TB control program. Of note, multidrug‐resistant (MDR)‐TB and extensively drug‐resistant (XDR)‐TB have certainly complicated the scenario. One of the possible strategies to overcome drug resistance in an economic and simple manner would involve modification of existing anti‐TB drugs to obtain derivatives that can work on resistant TB bacilli. These may have improved half‐life and increased bioavailability, be more efficacious, and serve as cost‐effective alternatives, as compared to new drugs identified through conventional methods of drug discovery and development. Although extensive literature is available on the activity of various derivatives of first‐line drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide) on drug‐susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), reports on the activity of derivatives on resistant MTB are very limited, to our knowledge. In light of this, the present review aims to provide a concise report on the derivatives of first‐line drugs that have the potential to overcome the resistance to the parental drug and could thus serve as effective alternatives.