New tunable pyridinium benzenesulfonate amphiphiles as anti-MRSA quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)

Abstract

A new class of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) with two different spacer lengths was developed and tested for antibacterial activity. The results of the experiments revealed that compounds with a longer cinnamoyl spacer had a broad bactericidal effect against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with substantial anti-Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (anti-MRSA) activity. The MICMRSA values of the compounds with the long spacer ranged from 4.65 to 9.37 mg/L, showing that they are 16-times more effective anti-MRSA agents than the derivatives with the short spacer. Micrographs clearly show MRSA cellular breakdown induced by the synthesized QAC. The novel cinnamoyl pyridinium derivatives were discovered to be potentially excellent disinfectants, and their anti-MRSA impact might be increased by varying the length of their spacers.