Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and photodynamic inactivation, or killing bugs with dyes and light--a symposium-in-print

In antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, the photosensitizer (PS) in its ground singlet state absorbs light to give the excited singlet state that can transition to the long-lived triplet state. This PS triplet may undergo energy transfer (Type 2) or electron transfer (Type 1) to oxygen to form reactive oxygen species (singlet oxygen and/or hydroxyl radicals) that can kill both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Infections in animal models can also be treated.     

Synthesis of water soluble quaternary chitosan derivative via protection-deprotection strategy and investigation of its antibacterial effect

New water-soluble trimethyl quaternary derivative of chitosan was synthesized by a multi step processes through protection-deprotection strategy. This derivative was characterized using FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Finally, the antibacterial effect of this derivative against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) bacteria in acidic and nutral medium was invetigated. The results of this study demonstrated that this chitosan derivative did not have antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria; however, it showed a relatively good antibacterical effect against Gram-positive bacteria in both acidic and neutral mediums.     

Light-induced biocidal action of conjugated polyelectrolytes supported on colloids

A series of water soluble, cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) with backbones based on a poly(phenylene ethynylene) repeat unit structure and tetraakylammonium side groups exhibit a profound light-induced biocidal effect. The present study examines the biocidal activity of the CPEs, correlating this activity with the photophysical properties of the polymers. The photophysical properties of the CPEs are studied in solution, and the results demonstrate that direct excitation produces a triplet excited-state in moderate yield, and the triplet is shown to be effective at sensitizing the production of singlet oxygen. Using the polymers in a format where they are physisorbed or covalently grafted to the surface of colloidal silica particles (5 and 30 microm diameter), we demonstrate that they exhibit light-activated biocidal activity, effectively killing Cobetia marina and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The light-induced biocidal activity is also correlated with a requirement for oxygen suggesting that interfacial generation of singlet oxygen is the crucial step in the light-induced biocidal activity.     

THE PHOTOSENSITIZERS BENZOPHENOXAZINE and THIAZINES: COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF PHOTOPHYSICAL and PHOTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Eight differently substituted title dye compounds have been investigated regarding intersystem crossing, triplet state, fluorescence and singlet excited state pKa properties. In general, non-halogenated oxazines and thiazines as well as a mono bromooxazine show very low triplet quantum yields, phi tau (less than 0.03) and relatively long triplet lifetimes (approximately 40 microseconds) in acidic methanol. The phi tau data correlate well with known singlet oxygen yields. In basic methanol no triplet transient is observed but a significant yield of a ground state transient protonated (base dye) form is produced with a short lifetime, approximately 400 ns. Fluorescence can be seen simultaneously from both the excited base and the protonated base dye forms in basic methanol. For iodinated oxazine or thiazines, the triplet yield increases and can be as high as 0.5 (diiodo case) in acidic methanol. The triplet lifetimes are further shortened to approximately 10 microseconds compared to the non-iodinated derivatives above. The triplet yields of the iodo compounds are higher or equal to known singlet oxygen yields. In basic methanol triplet yields up to 0.2 can be seen, the triplet lifetime are shortened still further to 1 microsecond but no observable protonated form is produced (in distinction to the non-iodinated cases). Consideration is given to the correlation of triplet and singlet oxygen yields, ground and excited pKa properties, spin-orbit coupling and internal conversion properties, solvent effects, and phototherapeutic activity of these dyes.     

Alaninyl variants of the marine natural product halocyamine A and their antibacterial properties

In an effort to explore the antibacterial potential of the marine natural product halocyamine A, a series of analogues including desbromo and alanine-substituted variants were synthesised and evaluated for biological activity against a panel of Gram-positive and –negative bacteria. The analogues were synthesised by a combination of solid-phase peptide synthesis and ruthenium complex/ytterbium triflate catalysed hydroamidation chemistry. Single alanine substitutions ([Ala¹]-halocyamine A and [Ala²]-halocyamine A) gave only modest increases in activity towards Gram-positive bacteria, while di-alaninyl variants exhibited more potent activity with MIC values of 12.5–50?μM towards the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. A lipophilic trityl-protected intermediate of [Ala²]-halocyamine was the most active against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli.     

A new pyrimidine-derived ligand,N-pyrimidine oxalamic acid,and its Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pd(II) complexes: synthesis,characterization, electrochemical properties,and biological activity

A new heterocyclic compound N-(5-benzoyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-pyrimidin-1-yl)-oxalamic acid has been synthesized from N-amino pyrimidine-2-one and oxalylchloride. Bis-chelate complexes of the ligand were prepared from acetate/chloride salts of Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pd(II) in methanol. The structures of the ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by microanalyses, IR, AAS, NMR, API-ES, UV-Vis spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and thermogravimetric analyses. An octahedral geometry has been suggested for all the complexes, except for Pd(II) complex, in which the metal center is square planar. Each ligand binds using C(2)=O, HN, and carboxylate. The cyclic voltammograms of the ligand and the complexes are also discussed. The new synthesized compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi using the microdilution procedure. The Cu(II) complex displayed selective and effective antibacterial activity against one Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium (Bacillus cereus ATCC 7064), two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and S. aureus ATCC 25923) at 40–80 µg mL^?1, but poor activity against Candida species. The Cu(II) complex might be a new antibacterial agent against Gram-positive bacteria.     

Synthesis of some novel thiocyanotopurine derivatives and investigation of their antimicrobial activity and DNA interactions

A series of 6-thiocyanatopurine derivatives introduced with different alkyl groups in position 9 was synthesized. The structures of the synthesized compounds were evaluated via spectroscopic methods and elemental methods of analyses. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and for their antifungal activities against yeast strains. All the synthesized compounds showed better antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria compared to Gram-negative bacteria. DNA interactions with pBR322 DNA were determined. Most of the compounds caused conformational changes in DNA.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of dihydrotriazine derivatives as potential antibacterial agents

A series of 1,4-dihydro-1,3,5-triazine derivatives were designed and synthesized and their antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated. Most of the synthesized compounds showed potent inhibition of several Gram-positive bacterial strains(including multidrug-resistant clinical isolates) and Gramnegative bacterial strains, with minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs) in the range of 2.1–181.2 mmol/L. Compounds 7a and 7c presented the most potent inhibitory activities against Grampositive bacteria(e.g., Staphylococcus aureus 4220), Gram-negative bacteria(e.g., Escherichia coli 1924),and the fungus Candida albicans 7535, with MICs of 2.1 or 4.1 mmol/L. Especially, compound 7a was the most potent, with an MIC of 2.1 mmol/L against four multidrug-resistant, Gram-positive bacterial strains.The cytotoxic activity of the compound 7a, 7c and 7f was assessed in HepG2 cells, and the results suggest that 1,4-dihydro-1,3,5-triazine derivatives bearing a 6-benzyloxynaphthalen moiety are interesting scaffolds for the development of novel antibacterial agents.     

Green synthesis of chitosan-stabilized silver-colloidal nanoparticles immobilized on white-silica-gel beads and the antibacterial activities in a simulated-air-filter

This study explored the green synthesis and immobilization of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on a solid compatible support. Its antibacterial properties in reusable air filters are also discussed. The chitosan stabilized colloidal AgNPs (chi-AgNPs) were prepared using visible light irradiation in methanol. The UV–Vis, FTIR spectra, and TEM confirmed the chi-AgNPs formation. The immobilization technique of chi-AgNPs on the surface of white-silica-gel beads, which was previously coated chitosan (chi-SiG), was effective. The immobilized silver particles (AgNPs-[chi-SiG]) were solid, stable, dispersed, and nano-size. Both AgNPs-[chi-SiG] and chi-SiG exhibited antibacterial properties and prevented the growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria in agar media. Air filter containing the AgNPs-[chi-SiG] showed high antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis in the air.     

Novel antibacterial fibers of quaternized chitosan and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) prepared by electrospinning

The preparation of continuous defect-free fibers from quaternized chitosan derivative (QCh) has been achieved by electrospinning of mixed aqueous solutions of QCh with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). The average fiber diameter significantly decreases from 2800 to 1500 nm on increasing the polyelectrolyte content. In order to impart to QCh/PVP electrospun fibers stability to water and water vapor, the fibers have been crosslinked by incorporation of photo-crosslinking additives into QCh/PVP spinning solutions and subsequent UV irradiation of the electrospun fibers. Photo-crosslinked QCh-containing electrospun mats show high antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli.     

氟化修饰显著提高碳点的抗菌活性

本文采用支化聚乙烯亚胺和乙醇制备阳离子碳点,并在其表面接枝含氟烷基链,得到一种氟化修饰的碳点材料,其对革兰氏阳性菌金黄色葡萄球菌以及革兰氏阴性菌大肠杆菌和绿脓杆菌都表现出了优异的抗菌活性,而对哺乳动物细胞具有较低的毒性。通过构效关系研究发现,氟化修饰对于碳点的抗菌活性至关重要,将含氟烷基链替换成烷烃基链会极大削弱碳点的抗菌性能。本文的结果为阳离子抗菌材料的设计提供了新的思路。     

Photodynamic antimicrobial activity of hypocrellin A

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy is a recently developed therapeutic option that combines a non-toxic photosensitizer with harmless visible light to damage the microbial cell. Hypocrellin A (HA), a natural occurring lipid-soluble perylenequinone pigment, has gained considerable interest since its anticancer and antiviral activities have been reported. Here, we examined the antimicrobial activity of HA against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium). The results indicate that HA has a photodynamic antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria when CaCl(2) or MgCl(2) was employed. A loose binding has been established between HA and the organisms. Molecular oxygen is significantly involved in the photodynamic action of HA. Furthermore, HA maintains a photodynamic activity in terms of both types I and II reactions. Our results confirm the potential of HA to be used as a photosensitizer in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.     

Antibacterial activity of conjugated polyelectrolytes with variable chain lengths

Cationic poly(phenylene ethynylene)- (PPE-) based conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) with six different chain lengths ranging in degree of polymerization from ～7 to ～49 were synthesized from organic-soluble precursor polymers. The molecular weight of the precursor polymers was controlled by the amount of a monofunctional "end-capping" agent added to the polymerization reaction. Cationic CPEs were prepared by quaternization of amine groups to tetraalkylammonium groups. Their structure-property relationships were investigated by observing their photophysical properties and antibacterial activity. The polymers were found to exhibit a chain-length dependence in their photophysical properties. It has also been observed that the polymers exhibit effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under UV irradiation, whereas they show little antibacterial activity in the dark. An effect of chain length on the light-activated antibacterial activity was also found: The shortest polymer (n=7) exhibited the most effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.     

Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the sesquiterpene lactones cnicin and onopordopicrin

The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of chloroform extracts from the weeds Centaurea tweediei and C. diffusa, and the main sesquiterpene lactones isolated from these species, onopordopicrin and cnicin, respectively, were assayed. Results show that the chloroform extracts from both Centaurea species possess antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Remarkable antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was also measured. Both the extracts and the purified sesquiterpene lactones show high cytotoxicity against human-derived macrophages. Despite this cytotoxicity, C. diffusa chloroform extract and cnicin are attractive candidates for evaluation as antibiotics in topical preparations against skin-associated pathogens.     

Catecholthioether derivatives: preliminary study of in-vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

In this research, synthesis, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of a series of catecholthioethers having benzoxazole and tetrazole moieties are described. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. The synthesized compounds were tested in vitro against three Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus (clinical isolated), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25922, Enterococcus faecium (clinical isolated), and two Gram-negative bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae (clinical isolated) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 27853 and the yeast Candida albicans in comparison with control drugs. Microbiological results indicated that the synthesized compounds possessed a broad spectrum of activity against the tested microorganisms at MIC values between 4-256 μg/ml. This shows compounds having tetrazole moiety were the most active against Gram-negative strains, whereas compounds having benzoxazole moiety were more active against Gram-positive ones. Also both of them showed significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans and had lower activity than the compared control drugs (Sulfamethoxazole and Fluconazole). The antioxidant activity was assessed using two methods, including, 1,1-biphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and reducing power assays. Some of the catecholthioether derivatives showed antioxidant activity more than Trolox and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as reference antioxidants.     

Screening of antimicrobial activity of Cistus ladanifer and Arbutus unedo extracts

In this work, the in?vitro antimicrobial activity of different crude extracts obtained from Cistus ladanifer L. and Arbutus unedo L. was investigated. The ethanol, methanol and acetone/water extracts of Cistus ladanifer and Arbutus unedo were prepared using different extraction methods and their antimicrobial activities against reference strains, including three Gram-positive, five Gram-negative and three yeasts, and against clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, were investigated. All the extracts inhibited more than one microorganism; moreover all of them presented antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria, Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida tropicalis and Helicobacter pylori. It is noteworthy that the most considerable in?vitro effect was observed against Helicobacter pylori. These inhibitory effects can be considered relevant to the development of new agents for inclusion in the treatment or prevention of infections by the tested strains.     

Synthesis of some new 3-[5-(2-oxo-2H-3-chromenyl)-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]-1,3-thiazolan-4-ones as antimicrobials

<正>A series of some new 2-imino-5-[(Z)-1-(4-methylphenyl)methylidene]-3-[5-(2-oxo-2H-3-chromenyl)-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]-1,3- thiazolan-4-ones 5a-j has been synthesized and assayed for their antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria viz.Bacillus subtilis(ATCC 6633),Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 6538p) and Micrococcus luteus(IFC 12708),and Gram-negative bacteria viz. Proteus vulgaris(ATCC 3851).Salmonella typhimurium(ATCC 14028) and Escherichia coli(ATCC 25922).Among the screened compounds,5d,5e,5f,5g,and 5j exhibited potent inhibitory activity compared to standard drug,and emerged as potential molecules for further development.     

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of novel N1,N8-bis(((4-((5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methoxy)phenyl)amino)oxy)-1-naphthamide derivatives

A new series of 1,8-bis(4-((5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) methoxy)-substituted aryl) naphthalene-1,8-dicarboxamide derivatives (6a–j) were synthesized in the presence of POCl₃ and obtained good yields. All the synthesized novel compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, HRMS spectroscopic data and elemental analysis. All the synthesized compounds evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. The antibacterial activity screened against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and used standard reference drug ciprofloxacin. The antifungal activity screened against two pathogenic fungal strains Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans used a reference standard drug Voriconazole. All these compounds (6a–j) demonstrate good antibacterial and antifungal activity. Among them, compounds 6h and 6c show highest antibacterial and antifungal activity.     

Some Novel Oxadiazolyl/Azetidinyl Benzimidazole Derivatives: Synthesis and in Vitro Biological Evaluation

In a wide search program for new and efficient antimicrobial agents, a series of oxadiazole/azetidinone-incorporated benzimidazoles have been synthesized and evaluated against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Derivatives having long alkyl chain on the oxadiazole/azetidinone moiety with three or more carbon atoms have shown less antibacterial activity.     

Phytochemical screening, antibacterial activity and in vitro interactions between Costus cf. arabicus L. with UV-A and aminoglycosides

In this study, the methanol extracts of of Costus cf. arabicus L. were evaluated for antibacterial activity against multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial and modulatory activity of the extracts was assayed by microdilution. The light-enhanced antibacterial activity was assayed by light regimen. The growth of the bacteria tested was not inhibited by the extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from 512 to ≥1024 μg·m L(-1). However, the antibiotic activity of the aminoglycosides was synergistically enhanced when these extracts were associated in sub-inhibitory concentrations with the antibiotics. Both extracts showed activity against at two standard bacterial strains. Because of this, we suggest that the ethanol extracts of the stems and leaves of Costus cf. arabicus L. show potential antibacterial, light-induced and synergistic antibiotic activity. With such results, these extracts are proven to be a promising source of antibacterial and modulatory agents.