title: Photodynamic antimicrobial activity of hypocrellin A.
abstract: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy is a recently developed therapeutic option that combines a non-toxic photosensitizer with harmless visible light to damage the microbial cell. Hypocrellin A (HA), a natural occurring lipid-soluble perylenequinone pigment, has gained considerable interest since its anticancer and antiviral activities have been reported. Here, we examined the antimicrobial activity of HA against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium). The results indicate that HA has a photodynamic antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria when CaCl(2) or MgCl(2) was employed. A loose binding has been established between HA and the organisms. Molecular oxygen is significantly involved in the photodynamic action of HA. Furthermore, HA maintains a photodynamic activity in terms of both types I and II reactions. Our results confirm the potential of HA to be used as a photosensitizer in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shengqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yanjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019800:Phenol; D011809:Quinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D011809:Quinones; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D019800:Phenol; D010569:Perylene; C048388:hypocrellin A