Antibacterial activity of substituted 5-methylbenzo[c]phenanthridinium derivatives

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2012 Dec 1;22(23):7080-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.09.097. Epub 2012 Oct 2.

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance has prompted efforts to discover antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action. FtsZ is an essential protein for bacterial cell division, and has been viewed as an attractive target for the development of new antibiotics. Sanguinarine is a benzophenanthridine alkaloid that prevents cytokinesis in bacteria by inhibiting FtsZ self-assembly. In this study, a series of 5-methylbenzo[c]phenanthridinium derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The data indicate that the presence of a 1- or 12-phenyl substituent on 2,3,8,9-tetramethoxy-5-methylbenzo[c]phenanthridinium chloride significantly enhances antibacterial activity relative to the parent compound or sanguinarine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Benzophenanthridines / chemistry
  • Benzophenanthridines / pharmacology
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Isoquinolines / chemistry
  • Isoquinolines / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phenanthridines / chemical synthesis
  • Phenanthridines / chemistry*
  • Phenanthridines / pharmacology*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Benzophenanthridines
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • FtsZ protein, Bacteria
  • Isoquinolines
  • Phenanthridines
  • phenanthridinium
  • sanguinarine