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Activity of p ‐aminobenzoic acid compared with other organic acids against selected bacteria
Author(s) -
Richards R.M.E.,
Xing D.K.L.,
King T.P.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1995.tb05018.x
Subject(s) - aminobenzoic acid , chemistry , dihydrofolate reductase , formic acid , citric acid , cell envelope , acetic acid , escherichia coli , organic acid , biochemistry , nuclear chemistry , enzyme , medicinal chemistry , gene
The antibacterial activity of p ‐aminobenzoic acid against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli was compared with the activity of commonly used acidulants: formic, propionic, acetic, lactic and citric acids. Viable count evaluations and MIC determinations indicated that p ‐aminobenzoic acid caused greater inhibitory effects than the other organic acids. The activity of p ‐aminobenzoic acid on the growth of the test organisms at selected pH values indicated that p ‐aminobenzoic acid was more active at low pH than at high pH. Uptake studies showed that the uptake of p ‐aminobenzoic acid by E. coli was markedly decreased as the pH values increased. Electron micrographs of E. coli cells grown in the presence of p ‐aminobenzoic acid indicate that p ‐aminobenzoic acid caused marked damage to the cell envelope. It is suggested that p ‐aminobenzoic acid has at least two mechanisms of action: one mechanism in common with other organic acids and the other mechanism by interfering with the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer by an action on the dihydrofolate reductase enzyme.