Antibacterial activity of akyl gallates against Bacillus subtilis.
The antibacterial activity of a series of alkyl gallates (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoates) against Gram-positive bacteria was tested using a broth dilution method. All of the Gram-positive bacteria tested were susceptible to alkyl gallates, and this activity was found to correlate with the alkyl chain length. The antibacterial activity of alkyl gallates against Bacillus subtilis was a parabolic function of their lipophilicity and maximized with alkyl chain length between C(8) and C(11). Notably, alkyl gallates were found to be bactericidal against B. subtilis ATCC 9372, but this activity was significantly affected by the endospore formation in the culture. The antibacterial activity of alkyl gallates likely comes at least in part from their ability to inhibit the membrane respiratory chain but is not due to the prooxidant action.
Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3112, USA. ikubo@uclink.berkeley.edu
Isao
I
Kubo
Ken-ichi
K
Fujita
Ken-ichi
K
Nihei
Atsuko
A
Nihei
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D011435:Propyl Gallate / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; C016627:octyl gallate; C008259:lauryl gallate; D005707:Gallic Acid; D011435:Propyl Gallate