title: Surface-active antifungal polyquaternary amine.
abstract: There is a distinct need for antimicrobial compounds that can act at surfaces without leaching into the environment. Such materials should be easy to synthesize, be easy to apply to surfaces, and display reasonable levels of antimicrobial and antifungal activity. Here we describe such a surface-active compound and demonstrate its ability to inhibit the growth of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. We have synthesized a series of polyquaternary ammonium compounds by atom transfer radical polymerization. Two members of this series were tested for their ability to inhibit the growth of A. niger. The compounds were dried onto surfaces, and the treated surfaces were then used as growth chambers for A. niger. A water soluble polyquaternary amine compound was shown to effectively kill A. niger in solution in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, a water insoluble polyquaternary amine compound was shown to kill only the fungi in direct contact with the material on the surface. These results have important implications for the development of effective, environmentally benign, surface-active anti-fungal compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Thangappan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ravikumar
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Richard R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Koepsel
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000378:metabolism; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D002845:Chromatography; D015195:Drug Design; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008689:Methacrylates; D011108:Polymers; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C049840:2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate