Cationic amphiphilic dendrimers with tunable hydrophobicity show in vitro activity

摘要

The widespread use of antibiotics has led to an increase in the number of strains resistant to major antibacterial pharmaceuticals. Many synthesizedquaternary ammonium compounds possessantibacterial, antifungal and antiviralproperties. Incorporation of quaternary ammonium moieties into dendrimers represents apromising strategyfor thepreparation of novel antimicrobial biomaterials. Here, poly(quaternary ammonium) chloride dendrimers weresynthesized by functionalizing poly(propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimer with various lengths of alkyl chains. In vitro antimicrobial assays indicate that the amphiphilic dendrimers are potent antimicrobial agents with activity against multidrug-resistant pathogens such as themethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.