[The mode of action of antimycobacterial benzylamines]

[Antimycobacterial indole derivatives]

1,3-Dinitro-2-(indol-3'-yl)-propanes 3 are synthesized by Michael reaction of nitromethane with the indolylnitroethenes 2. Reaction of the aldehydes 4 and 10 with the benzylamines 12 as well as the reaction of the indolylalkylamines 6a and 9a with the benzaldehydes 11 lead to Schiff bases which are reduced to N-benzyl-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-amines 13 and N-benzyl-(indol-3-ylethyl)-amines 14, respectively; tert amines 16 are synthesized via the formamides 15, amines 18 are prepared according to Mannich. Inhibitory effects on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Ra are investigated, a structure-activity relationship is discussed.

Investigations on the antiproliferative effects of amino acid antagonists targeting for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Part I--The antibacterial effect

Amino acid antagonists with proven or potentially inhibitory activities on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases were tested for their antiproliferative effect against E. coli B. The compounds 4- and 6-fluoro-tryptophan, 5-methyltryptophan, selenocystine and beta-(2-thienyl)alanine gave strong growth inhibition in minimal medium, which disappeared after addition of structurally related natural amino acids or in an enriched broth. The inhibitory effect on amino-acyl-tRNA synthetases and the minimal inhibitory concentration for growth inhibition in minimal medium could not be correlated.