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The search and creation of innovative antimicrobial drugs, acting against resistant and multiresistant strains of bacteria and fungi, are one of the most important tasks of modern bioorganic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Since iron is essential for the vital activity of almost all organisms, including mammals and bacteria, the proteins involved in its metabolism can serve as potential targets in the development of new promising antimicrobial agents. Such targets include endogenous mammalian biomolecules, heme oxygenases, siderophores, protein 24p3, as well as bacterial heme oxygenases and siderophores. Other proteins that are responsible for the delivery of iron to cells and its balance between bacteria and the host organism also attract certain particular interest. The review summarizes data on the development of inhibitors and inducers (activators) of heme oxygenases, selective for mammals and bacteria, and considers the characteristic features of their mechanisms of action and structure. Based on the reviewed literature data, it was concluded that the use of hemin, the most powerful hemooxygenase inducer, and its derivatives as potential antimicrobial and antiviral agents, in particular against COVID-19 and other dangerous infections, would be a promising approach. In this case, an important role is attributed to the products of hemin degradation formed by heme oxygenases in vitro and in vivo. Certain attention has been paid to the data on the antimicrobial action of iron-free protoporphyrinates, namely complexes with Co, Ga, Zn, Mn, their advantages and disadvantages compared to hemin. Modification of the well-known antibiotic ceftazidime with a siderophore molecule increased its effectiveness against resistant bacteria.

This review is devoted to antimicrobial peptides (AMP's) that demonstrate activity against bacteria, viruses and fungi. It considers structure and mechanism of AMP interaction with lipid membrane and intracellular targets of pathogens. Special attention is paid to modem state and perspectives of AMP practical application and also to approaches that increase efficacy and reduce toxicity of AMP by chemical modification of their structure.

The influence of gamma-GluHA and glutarylhistamine on the lipid peroxidation, cholesterol, phospholipid and liver aminotransferase activity was investigated using carbon tetrachloride-induced model of subacute liver damage. Pretreatment of rats with gamma-GluHA and glutarylhistamine prevented liver necrosis and normalized activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in blood plasma, lipid peroxidation in the liver and plasma, lipid profiles and cholesterol content in the liver and plasma.

The influence of gamma-L-glutamylhistamine analogues on the hexenal-induced sleeping, glucocorticoid hormone content in blood plasma and severity of experimental anaphylactic reaction was studied. It was observed that gamma-L-glutamylhistamine analogues caused decrease in the sleeping time and severity of experimental anaphylactic reaction, the elevation of glucocorticoids content in blood plasma. The present results indicate that substances have the wide spectrum of biological activity which depends on the length of the N-acyl radical.

gamma-L-Glutamyl-histamine (gamma-GluHA) was synthesized at Department of the chemistry and technology of fine organic compounds M. V. Lomonosov Moscow state academy of fine chemical technology. It was investigated the influence of gamma-L-glutamyl-histamine on the severity of experimental anaphylactic reaction, hormonal content in blood plasma and liver cytochrome P-450. The induction of liver cytochrome P-450, the elevation of hormonal content (thyroxine and glucocorticoids) in blood plasma and decrease of the severity of experimental anaphylactic reaction are observed.

The present paper reviews recent studies about the role of the cytochrome P-450-dependent arachidonic acid metabolites. There metabolites take part in the regulation of the vascular tone. They are the intracellular messenger and play an integral role in the relation of the vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells. The arachidonic acid metabolites regulate the activity of the ionic channels. It is demonstrated that derivatives of arachidonic acid have the role in the pathogenesis of hypertension.