title: Effects of synthetic hydroxy isothiocyanates on microbial systems.
abstract: Hydroxy isothiocyanates (ITCs), including some new derivatives of naturally occurring compounds, were synthesized and their minimum inhibitory, minimum fungicidal, and minimum bactericidal concentrations for Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were estimated. These compounds were strongly antimicrobial; for example, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl ITC inhibited growth of all strains examined at concentrations of 7.8 to 15.6 micrograms/ml. The ATP concentration in E. coli was markedly reduced when cells were treated with 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ITC. Inhibition of the growth of E. coli by 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ITC was decreased in the presence of cysteine. Streptolysin S production in washed cells of Streptococcus equisimilis was extremely sensitive to this ITC derivative and this inhibition also was counteracted by cysteine. The results showed that the ITC compounds had antimicrobial effects by blocking sulfhydryl groups.
authors.affiliation: Fukui Research Laboratory, Rengo Co., Ltd., Fukui, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taketo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taketo
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006900:Hydroxylation; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D013301:Streptolysins; C026050:streptolysin S; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate