Nitroimidazole

Nitroimidazoles are imidazole heterocycles with a nitro group that have been used to combat anaerobic bacterial and parasitic infections. Perhaps the most common example is metronidazole (Flagyl ®). Other heterocycles such as nitrothiazoles (thiazole) are also used for this purpose. Nitroheterocycles may be reductively activated in hypoxic cells, and then undergo redox recycling or decompose to toxic products.