Altered membrane permeability as the basis of bactericidal action of methdilazine.
The growth inhibition of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was accompanied by significant release of K+ and UV-absorbing small molecules upon exposure to methdilazine, an extensively used phenothiazine antihistamine. A severe decrease in [U-14C] glucose uptake and a rapid efflux of hexose from sugar-preloaded bacteria were also observed but without visible cellular lysis. Considerable damage to membrane permeability by methdilazine was proposed to explain the rapid loss in cfu/mL of the bacteria.
Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Calcutta, India.
D
D
Chattopadhyay
T
T
Mukherjee
P
P
Pal
B
B
Saha
R
R
Bhadra
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines; C044642:methdilazine; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium