Ansamycin

[1] In addition, these compounds demonstrate antiviral activity towards bacteriophages and poxviruses.

They are named ansamycins (from the Latin ansa, handle) because of their unique structure, which consists of an aromatic moiety bridged by an aliphatic chain.

[3] Another variation consists of benzene or a benzoquinone ring system as in geldanamycin or ansamitocin.

Ansamycins were first discovered in 1959 by Sensi et al. from Amycolatopsis mediterranei, an actinomycete bacterium.

This resulted in their widespread use in the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy, and AIDS-related mycobacterial infections.