Gallium reactivates first and second generation quinolone antibiotics towards drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae .

Herein, we report on a series of homoleptic [GaL 3 ] and heteroleptic organometallic [GaMe 2 L] complexes of inactive quinolone antibiotics; nalidixic acid, oxolinic acid and norfloxacin with their antibacterial activity (MIC 0.024-0.781 μM) towards four multi-drug resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae through complexation to gallium.