title: Mechanisms of action of acriflavine: electron microscopic study of cell wall changes induced in Staphylococcus aureus by acriflavine.
abstract: The antimicrobial action of acriflavine, a quaternary ammonium compound, on Staphylococcus aureus was studied by electron microscopic observation. The bactericidal activity of acriflavine was dose-dependent over the 4 hr of exposure time. Scanning electron micrographs showed a wavy wrinkled cell surface following treatment with acriflavine. Transmission electron micrographs showed thickened cell walls following treatment with acriflavine. Acriflavine-induced cell wall thickness seemed to affect both the peripheral and cross walls, but was reversible after treatment removal. These findings indicate that cell wall thickness is a characteristic phenotype of S. aureus exposed to acriflavine. It is therefore believed that cell wall thickness plays an important role in the mechanism of action of acriflavine.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Himeji Dokkyo University, 7-2-1 Kamiohno, Himeji, Hyogo.
authors.forename: Mako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
mesh_terms: D000167:Acriflavine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000167:Acriflavine