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BACTERICIDAL ACTION OF SELECTED PHENANTHROLINE CHELATES AND RELATED COMPOUNDS
Author(s) -
Butler Hildred M,
Hurse Allison,
Thursky Elma,
Shulman A
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1969.148
Subject(s) - chelation , staphylococcus aureus , chemistry , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , proteus vulgaris , streptococcus pyogenes , metal , nuclear chemistry , bacteria , biochemistry , inorganic chemistry , biology , organic chemistry , genetics , gene
Summary Selected 1, 10‐phenanthroline hydrochlorides, quaternary salts and metal chelates are bactericidal to Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A), Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris in serum broth in that general order of decreasing sensitivity; certain hydro‐ chlorides and metal chelates are also bactericidal to Staphylococcus aureus in distilled water in the absence of added metal ion. Metal chelates with similar or identical bactericidal titres following 48 hours' incubation with Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A) or Escherichia coli differ greatly in their rate of kill. Generally, the labile Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II) phenanthroline chelates are rapidly lethal to these bacteria while the corresponding more inert Fe(II), Ni(II) and Ru(II) compounds are more slowly bactericidal; the Co(II) analogues are the most slowly lethal, probably owing to the formation of highly inert cobalt (III) species. These results suggest that the kinetic reactivity of the metal chelate is more important than its thermodynamic stability in governing rate of bactericidal action. Other important factors are the lipophilia of the active species, which may be the phenanthroline ligand or a metal‐containing derivative, and the permeability of the organism to it. Comparison of the bactericidal activity and rate of kill of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by selected metal chelates and by a series of un‐ related but clinically‐useful antibacterials suggests that the former compounds warrant investigation for the sterilization of skin surfaces both prophylactically and therapeutically.