The widespread incidence of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the discovery of new classes of antimicrobials as well as adjuvant molecules that can restore the action of ineffective antibiotics. Herein, we report the synthesis of a new class of indole-3-acetamido-polyamine conjugates that were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against a panel of bacteria and two fungi, and for the ability to enhance the action of doxycycline against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and erythromycin against Escherichia coli. Compounds 14b, 15b, 17c, 18a, 18b, 18d, 19b, 19e, 20c and 20d exhibited strong growth inhibition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cryptococcus neoformans, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) typically less than 0.2 µM. Four analogues, including a 5-bromo 15c and three 5-methoxyls 16d–f, also exhibited intrinsic activity towards E. coli. Antibiotic kill curve analysis of 15c identified it to be a bactericide. While only one derivative was found to (weakly) enhance the action of erythromycin against E. coli, three examples, including 15c, were found to be strong enhancers of the antibiotic action of doxycycline against P. aeruginosa. Collectively, these results highlight the promising potential of α,ω-disubstituted indole-3-acetamido polyamine conjugates as antimicrobials and antibiotic adjuvants.
由于抗菌药耐药性的广泛存在,因此有必要发现新的抗菌药类别以及能够恢复无效抗生素作用的辅助分子。在此,我们报告了一类新的吲哚-3-乙酰胺基多胺共轭物的合成,并评估了它们对一系列细菌和两种真菌的抗菌活性,以及增强强力霉素对绿脓杆菌和红霉素对大肠杆菌作用的能力。化合物 14b、15b、17c、18a、18b、18d、19b、19e、20c 和 20d 对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(MRSA)和新型隐球菌具有很强的生长抑制作用,最低抑制浓度(MIC)通常低于 0.2 µM。四种类似物,包括一种 5-溴 15c 和三种 5-甲氧基 16d-f,对大肠杆菌也具有内在活性。15c 的抗生素杀灭曲线分析表明它是一种杀菌剂。虽然只有一种衍生物被发现能(弱)增强红霉素对大肠杆菌的作用,但包括 15c 在内的三种衍生物被发现能强烈增强强力霉素对绿脓杆菌的抗生素作用。总之,这些结果凸显了α,ω-二取代吲哚-3-乙酰胺基多胺共轭物作为抗菌剂和抗生素佐剂的巨大潜力。