Antibacterial Activity of Pharmaceutical-Grade Rose Bengal: An Application of a Synthetic Dye in Antibacterial Therapies

Rose bengal has been used in the diagnosis of ophthalmic disorders and liver function, and has been studied for the treatment of solid tumor cancers. To date, the antibacterial activity of rose bengal has been sporadically reported; however, these data have been generated with a commercial grade of rose bengal, which contains major uncontrolled impurities generated by the manufacturing process (80–95% dye content). A high-purity form of rose bengal formulation (HP-RBf, >99.5% dye content) kills a battery of Gram-positive bacteria, including drug-resistant strains at low concentrations (0.01–3.13 μg/mL) under fluorescent, LED, and natural light in a few minutes. Significantly, HP-RBf effectively eradicates Gram-positive bacterial biofilms. The frequency that Gram-positive bacteria spontaneously developed resistance to HP-RB is extremely low (less than 1 × 10⁻¹³). Toxicity data obtained through our research programs indicate that HP-RB is feasible as an anti-infective drug for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) involving multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbial invasion of the skin, and for eradicating biofilms. This article summarizes the antibacterial activity of pharmaceutical-grade rose bengal, HP-RB, against Gram-positive bacteria, its cytotoxicity against skin cells under illumination conditions, and mechanistic insights into rose bengal’s bactericidal activity under dark conditions.     

Synthesis of ionic polyurethanes with pyrene rings: Spectral properties and fluorescence quenching study

Hydrophilic ionic polyurethanes with 4‐chloromethylphenylcarbamoyl‐1‐oxymethylpyrene located on the quaternary ammonium structure from a polymer based on poly(ethylene glycol), isophorone diisocyanate, and N‐methyldiethanolamine were prepared by a quaternization reaction, in which the amount of pyrene covalently attached to the polymeric backbone ranged from 1.14 to 19.82 mmol of fluorophore/100 g of polymer. It was interesting to compare the photoluminescence of the pyrene polyurethane carrying a few mole percent of pyrene moieties with that of a third polymer resulting from its subsequent quaternization with benzyl chloride up to a concentration of ionic groups as in the latter (quaternization degree = 14.15%). The process of excimer formation between the pyrene molecules attached to the ionic polyurethane was investigated in tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide, film, and THF/H₂O to illustrate the expected differences in the polymer behavior compared with that of the starting pyrene derivative. The formation of aggregates or core–shell micelles was sustained by the fluorescence data, which indicated the existence of pyrene units in the ground state of the molecule, giving rise thus to an explanation for the high excimer‐to‐monomer intensity ratio. The fluorescence decay of pyrene polyurethanes in the presence of various concentrations of nitrobenzene used as a quencher was analyzed too when the fluorescence quenching in the polymer solution normally followed Stern–Volmer kinetics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3945–3956, 2005     

Optical and dielectric properties of new azobenzene copolyethers embedded in polymer matrices

A new group of photochromic azobenzene copolyethers was synthesized. Their photochomic and dielectric properties were studied in poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(methyl methacrylate) matrices.     

Use of allene in 1,3-dipolar addition to a carbonyl ylide: syntheses of 3-hydroxy-cis-nemorensic acid and nemorensic acid

1,3-Dipolar addition of allene to the carbonyl ylide derived from 6-diazoheptane-2,5-dione is the key step in syntheses of 3-hydroxy-cis-nemorensic acid and nemorensic acid.     

Strength of multi-component glass fibers

The initial strength and degradation of strength in multi-component glass fibers are reported. Plastic-coated glass fibers with an initial strength of 300–350 km/mm² are obtained by excluding the causes of extrinsic origins of fracture; bubbles, small crystals and platinum particles. Degradation of strength is strongly dependent on the glass composition, especially on the network modifier content. The addition of Al₂O₃ and B₂O₃ is useful for suppressing degradation of strength. Multi-component glass fibers which show no degradation of strength for 5000 h under stress-free and atmospheric conditions have been prepared with borosilicate glasses containing 1–5 mol.% Al₂O₃.     

New approaches to bicyclic vinyl heterocycles from propargylic acetals

The paper describes further studies on the intramolecular carbolithiation of propargylic acetals with aryllithiums leading to 2-vinylbenzofurans and 3-vinylfuropyridines. Attempts to extend the cascade to [4.4.0] binuclear heterocycles met with limited success. An alternative, two-step entry to such ring systems has been developed using the palladium-induced cyclization/hydride capture methodology. A new route to isoquinilinones from simple benzamides is also disclosed.     

Facile one-pot synthesis of 5-substituted hydantoins

5-Substituted and 5,5-disubstituted hydantoins are synthesised from the corresponding aldehydes or ketones, using a one-pot, gallium(III) triflate-catalysed procedure that is compatible with a range of substrates and solvents.