A novel bi-functional chalcone inhibits multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus and potentiates the activity of fluoroquinolones

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and antibacterial activity of chalcone (2E)-1-(3'-aminophenyl)-3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one against multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus carrier of efflux pump mechanisms and β-lactamase

BACKGROUND

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus has stood out for presenting a high adaptability, acquiring resistance to multiple drugs. The search for natural or synthetic compounds with antibacterial properties capable of reversing the resistance of S. aureus is the main challenge to be overcome today. Natural products such as chalcones are substances present in the secondary metabolism of plants, presenting important biological activities such as antitumor, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activity.

OBJECTIVES

In this context, the aim of this work was to synthesize the chalcone (2E)-1-(3'-aminophenyl)-3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one with nomenclature CMADMA, confirm its structure by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and evaluate its antibacterial properties.

METHODS

The synthesis methodology used was that of Claisen-Schmidt, and spectroscopic characterization was performed by NMR. For microbiological assays, the broth microdilution methodology was adopted in order to analyze the antibacterial potential of chalcones and to analyze their ability to act as a possible inhibitor of β-lactamase and efflux pump resistance mechanisms, present in S. aureus strain K4100.

RESULTS

The results obtained show that CMADMA does not show direct antibacterial activity, expressing a MIC of ≥1024 μg/mL, or on the enzymatic mechanism of β-lactamase; however, when associated with ethidium bromide in efflux pump inhibition assays, CMADMA showed promising activity by reducing the MIC of the bromide from 64 to 32 μg/mL.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the chalcone synthesized in this study is a promising substance to combat bacterial resistance, possibly acting in the inhibition of the QacC efflux pump present in S. aureus strain K4100, as evidenced by the reduction in the MIC of ethidium bromide.

Recent Advancement in Bioactive Chalcone Hybrids as Potential Antimicrobial Agents in Medicinal Chemistry

Chalcones are flavonoid-related aromatic ketones and enones generated from plants. The chalcones have a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-tumor, calming, and antimicrobial activities. In the present review, we have focused on the recently published original research articles on chalcones as a unique antibacterial framework in medicinal chemistry. Chalcones are structurally diverse moieties and can be split into simple and hybrid chalcones, with both having core pharmacophore 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-one. Chalcones are isolated from natural sources and also synthesized by using various methods. Their structure-activity relationship, mechanisms, and list of patents are also summarized in this paper. This review article outlines the currently published antimicrobial chalcone hybrids and suggests that chalcone derivatives may be potential antimicrobial agents in the future.

Isolation and biological activity of natural chalcones based on antibacterial mechanism classification

Bacterial infection, which is still one of the leading causes of death in humans, poses an enormous threat to the worldwide public health system. Antibiotics are the primary medications used to treat bacterial diseases. Currently, the discovery of antibiotics has reached an impasse, and due to the abuse of antibiotics resulting in bacterial antibiotic resistance, researchers have a critical desire to develop new antibacterial agents in order to combat the deteriorating antibacterial situation. Natural chalcones, the flavonoids consisting of two phenolic rings and a three-carbon α, β-unsaturated carbonyl system, possess a variety of biological and pharmacological properties, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and so on. Due to their potent antibacterial properties, natural chalcones possess the potential to become a new treatment for infectious diseases that circumvents existing antibiotic resistance. Currently, the majority of research on natural chalcones focuses on their synthesis, biological and pharmacological activities, etc. A few studies have been conducted on their antibacterial activity and mechanism. Therefore, this review focuses on the antibacterial activity and mechanisms of seventeen natural chalcones. Firstly, seventeen natural chalcones have been classified based on differences in antibacterial mechanisms. Secondly, a summary of the isolation and biological activity of seventeen natural chalcones was provided, with a focus on their antibacterial activity. Thirdly, the antibacterial mechanisms of natural chalcones were summarized, including those that act on bacterial cell membranes, biological macromolecules, biofilms, and quorum sensing systems. This review aims to lay the groundwork for the discovery of novel antibacterial agents based on chalcones.

Antimicrobial Activities and Mode of Flavonoid Actions

The emergence of antibiotics-resistant bacteria has been a serious concern for medical professionals over the last decade. Therefore, developing new and effective antimicrobials with modified or different modes of action is a continuing imperative. In this context, our study focuses on evaluating the antimicrobial activity of different chemically synthesized flavonoids (FLAV) to guide the chemical synthesis of effective antimicrobial molecules. A set of 12 synthesized molecules (4 chalcones, 4 flavones and 4 flavanones), bearing substitutions with chlorine and bromine groups at the C6' position and methoxy group at the C4' position of the B-ring were evaluated for antimicrobial activity toward 9 strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and 3 fungal strains. Our findings showed that most tested FLAV exhibited moderate to high antibacterial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between the range of 31.25 and 125 μg/mL and that chalcones were more efficient than flavones and flavanones. The examined compounds were also active against the tested fungi with a strong structure-activity relationship (SAR). Interestingly, leakage measurements of the absorbent material at 260 nm and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the brominated chalcone induced a significant membrane permeabilization of S. aureus.

Antibacterial potential of chalcones and its derivatives against Staphylococcus aureus

Chalcones are natural substances found in the metabolism of several botanical families. Their structure consists of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one and they are characterized by having in their chains an α, β-unsaturated carbonyl system, two phenol rings and a three-carbon chain that unites them. In plants, Chalcones are mainly involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids and isoflavonoids through the phenylalanine derivation. This group of substances has been shown to be a viable alternative for the investigation of its antibacterial potential, considering the numerous biological activities reported and the increase of the microbial resistance that concern global health agencies. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that has stood out for its ability to adapt and develop resistance to a wide variety of drugs. This literature review aimed to highlight recent advances in the use of Chalcones and derivatives as antibacterial agents against S. aureus, focusing on research articles available on the Science Direct, Pub Med and Scopus data platforms in the period 2015-2021. It was constructed informative tables that provided an overview of which types of Chalcones are being studied more (Natural or Synthetic); its chemical name and main Synthesis Methodology. From the analysis of the data, it was observed that the compounds based on Chalcones have great potential in medicinal chemistry as antibacterial agents and that the molecular skeletons of these compounds as well as their derivatives can be easily obtained through substitutions in the A and B rings of Chalcones, in order to obtain the desired bioactivity. It was verified that Chalcones and derivatives are promising agents for combating the multidrug resistance of S. aureus to drugs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03398-7.

Medicinal Chemistry of Inhibitors Targeting Resistant Bacteria

The discovery of antibiotics was a revolutionary feat that provided countless health benefits. The identification of penicillin by Alexander Fleming initiated the era of antibiotics, represented by constant discoveries that enabled effective treatments for the different classes of diseases caused by bacteria. However, the indiscriminate use of these drugs allowed the emergence of resistance mechanisms of these microorganisms against the available drugs. In addition, the constant discoveries in the 20th century generated a shortage of new molecules, worrying health agencies and professionals about the appearance of multidrug-resistant strains against available drugs. In this context, the advances of recent years in molecular biology and microbiology have allowed new perspectives in drug design and development, using the findings related to the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to generate new drugs that are not affected by such mechanisms and supply new molecules to be used to treat resistant bacterial infections. Besides, a promising strategy against bacterial resistance is the combination of drugs through adjuvants, providing new expectations in designing new antibiotics and new antimicrobial therapies. Thus, this manuscript will address the main mechanisms of bacterial resistance under the understanding of medicinal chemistry, showing the main active compounds against efflux mechanisms, and also the application of the use of drug delivery systems, and finally, the main potential natural products as adjuvants or with promising activity against resistant strains.

Comprehensive insight into anti-staphylococcal and anti-enterococcal action of brominated and chlorinated pyrazine-based chalcones

The greatest threat and medicinal impact within gram-positive pathogens are posed by two bacterial genera, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus. Chalcones have a wide range of biological activities and are recognized as effective templates in medicinal chemistry. This study provides comprehensive insight into the anti-staphylococcal and anti-enterococcal activities of two recently published brominated and chlorinated pyrazine-based chalcones, CH-0y and CH-0w. Their effects against 4 reference and 12 staphylococcal and enterococcal clinical isolates were evaluated. Bactericidal action, the activity in combination with selected conventional antibiotics, the study of post-antimicrobial effect (PAE, PAE/SME), and in vitro and in vivo toxicity, were included. In CH-0y, anti-staphylococcal activity ranging from MIC = 15.625 to 62.5 μM, and activity against E. faecium from 31.25 to 62.5 μM was determined. In CH-0w, anti-staphylococcal activity ranging from 31.25 to 125 μM, and activity against E. faecium and E. faecalis (62.5 μM) was revealed. Both CH-0y and CH-0w showed bactericidal action, beneficial impact on bacterial growth delay within PAE and PAE/SME studies, and non/low toxicity in vivo. Compared to CH-0w, CH-0y seems to have higher anti-staphylococcal and less toxic potential. In conclusion, chalcones CH-0y and CH-0w could be considered as structural pattern for future adjuvants to selected antibiotic drugs.

Bio-Evaluation of 99mTc-Labeled Homodimeric Chalcone Derivative as Amyloid-β-Targeting Probe

Chalcone derivatives have been successfully utilized for a range of biological applications and can cross the blood–brain barrier easily. β-amyloid-specific bis-chalcone derivative, 6,9-bis(carboxymethyl)-14-(4-[(E)-3-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)acryloyl]phenoxy)-3-(2-[(2-(4-[(E)-3-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)acryloyl]phenoxy)ethyl)amino]-2-oxoethyl)-11-oxo-3,6,9,12-tetraazatetradecanoic acid, DT(Ch)₂, was analyzed using molecular modeling to explain the binding modes of the ligand with amyloid fibril and monomer followed by ^99mTc-complexation in 95% yield and 98.7% efficiency. High-binding specificity of the radiocomplex was established following in vitro evaluation against 100-fold excess of DT(Ch)₂. ^99mTc–DT(Ch)₂ exhibited <3% trans-complexation in human serum after 24 h, indicating high stability. A fast clearance rate in pharmacokinetics studies displayed a biphasic pattern with t_1/2(F) = 30 min ± 0.09 and t_1/2(S) = 4 h 20 min ± 0.06. In vivo single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in rabbits reiterated the pharmacokinetics data with initially high brain uptake followed by rapid washout. Biodistribution studies confirmed the initial brain uptake as 1.16 ± 0.02% ID/g after 2 min and the brain_2min/brain_30min ratio was 3.74. Radioactivity distribution in the brain was >40% in the cingulate cortex followed by >25% in the hippocampus, a distribution pattern aligned to Alzheimer’s affected brain regions. Radiocomplex also displayed rapid plasma clearance followed by hepatobolic and renal modes of excretion.

Targeting the Holy Triangle of Quorum Sensing, Biofilm Formation, and Antibiotic Resistance in Pathogenic Bacteria

Chronic and recurrent bacterial infections are frequently associated with the formation of biofilms on biotic or abiotic materials that are composed of mono- or multi-species cultures of bacteria/fungi embedded in an extracellular matrix produced by the microorganisms. Biofilm formation is, among others, regulated by quorum sensing (QS) which is an interbacterial communication system usually composed of two-component systems (TCSs) of secreted autoinducer compounds that activate signal transduction pathways through interaction with their respective receptors. Embedded in the biofilms, the bacteria are protected from environmental stress stimuli, and they often show reduced responses to antibiotics, making it difficult to eradicate the bacterial infection. Besides reduced penetration of antibiotics through the intricate structure of the biofilms, the sessile biofilm-embedded bacteria show reduced metabolic activity making them intrinsically less sensitive to antibiotics. Moreover, they frequently express elevated levels of efflux pumps that extrude antibiotics, thereby reducing their intracellular levels. Some efflux pumps are involved in the secretion of QS compounds and biofilm-related materials, besides being important for removing toxic substances from the bacteria. Some efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) have been shown to both prevent biofilm formation and sensitize the bacteria to antibiotics, suggesting a relationship between these processes. Additionally, QS inhibitors or quenchers may affect antibiotic susceptibility. Thus, targeting elements that regulate QS and biofilm formation might be a promising approach to combat antibiotic-resistant biofilm-related bacterial infections.

In vitro and in silico studies of chalcones derived from natural acetophenone inhibitors of NorA and MepA multidrug efflux pumps in Staphylococcus aureus

Bacterial resistance induced by efflux pumps is a frequent concern in clinical treatments involving multi-resistant bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is a microorganism responsible for several types of infections and has several strains carrying efflux pumps, among them are the strain 1199B (NorA overexpresser), and the strain K2068 (MepA overexpresser). In this work, four chalcones derived from Croton anisodontus with modifications in the B ring in their structures were tested regarding their ability to inhibit NorA and MepA efflux pumps. The efflux pump inhibition mechanism was tested with the ethidium bromide substrate in the presence and absence of standard efflux pump inhibitors. The minimum inhibitory concentration values were also compared to those of strains that do not overexpress these efflux pumps. In order to gain some insights about the efflux pump mechanisms of these chalcones, two homology models were created (NorA and MepA) for a docking procedure. In addition, the ADME properties (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) were also evaluated. The tested chalcones promoted synergism of the norfloxacin antibiotic by inhibiting associated efflux pumps. All four tested chalcones appear to bind to the binding sites of the efflux pump models in the same fashion as other chalcones with efflux pump inhibition capabilities. It was also verified that the chalcones 1-4 are well absorbed in the intestine, but with a decrease in their bioavailability, resulting in a low volume of distribution in the blood plasma, in addition to having a mild CNS activity. However, the chalcone 3 and 4 were not toxic due to metabolic activation. Whereas the chalcones 1 and 2 present a mutagenic risk, depending on the oral dose administered. The tested chalcones have not antibacterial activity; however, they are capable of inhibiting efflux pumps for the 1199B and K2068 strains. They promoted synergism of the norfloxacin antibiotic by inhibiting associated efflux pumps, as well as other associated mechanisms.

Potentiating activity of Norfloxacin by synthetic chalcones against NorA overproducing Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for a series of infections occurring in both human and animal hosts. S. aureus SA1199B is a strain resistant to hydrophilic fluoroquinolone due to overproduction of the NorA efflux pump that has been used as a microbial model to evaluate if a compound act as efflux pump inhibitor. Finding substances from natural or synthetic origin able to reverse resistance mechanisms like those of efflux pumps is a challenge. The use of Chalcones and their derivatives is of great chemical and pharmacological interest, as they present a simple structure and several pharmacological activities. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial potential of 4 synthetic chalcones, as well as to evaluate their action in the modulation of Norfloxacin resistance against the strain SA1199B strain. Microdilution assays were performed for evaluation of the antimicrobial activity. For evaluation of the modulating effect on resistance to Norfloxacin or EtBr, MIC values of these compounds were determined in the absence or presence of subinhibitory concentrations used of each chalcone. MICs values of both Norfloxacin and EtBr were significantly reduced in the presence of all tested chalcones, indicating that inhibition of the active efflux of these compounds by NorA could be a possible mechanism of action of the chalcones. These results show that the compounds studied have a high potential as a NorA inhibitor, with the best modulating effect verified for the compound 3. Pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictive studies indicated a high intestinal absorption and good volume of distribution for chalcones by oral administration, activity in the central nervous system and ease to be transported between biological membranes. Emphasizing that analogs 1 and 4 were easily metabolized by CYP3A4 enzyme, constituting a pharmacological active ingredient without toxic risk due to metabolic activation. These chalcones combined with Norfloxacin could be a promise technological strategy to be applied in the treatment of infections caused by S. aureus overproducing NorA.

A New Chalcone Derivative C49 Reverses Doxorubicin Resistance in MCF-7/DOX Cells by Inhibiting P-Glycoprotein Expression

Objective: C49 is a chalcone derivative. The aim of the current study is to illuminate the efficacy of C49 in reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) in MCF-7/DOX cells and its underlying molecular mechanism. Methods: The cytotoxic effects of C49 on MCF-7/DOX cells were evaluated by MTT assay using different concentration (0-250 μmol/L) of C49. Cell proliferation was evaluated by colony formation assay. Cell death was examined by morphological analysis using Hoechst 33,258 staining. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence were utilized to evaluate the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and cell apoptosis. The differentially expressed genns between MCF-7 and MCF-7/DOX cells were analyzed by GEO database. The expression of PI3K/Akt pathway proteins were assessed by Western blot The activities of C49 combined with DOX was evaluated via xenograft tumor model in female BALB/c nude mice. Results: C49 inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells (IC₅₀ = 59.82 ± 2.10 μmol/L) and MCF-7/DOX cells (IC₅₀ = 65.69 ± 8.11 μmol/L) with dosage-dependent and enhanced the cellular accumulation of DOX in MCF-7/DOX cells. The combination of C49 and DOX inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. MCF-7/DOX cells regained drug sensibility with the combination treatment through inhibiting the expression of P-gp, p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins. Meanwhile, C49 significantly increased the anticancer efficacy of DOX in vivo. Conclusion: C49 combined with DOX restored DOX sensitivity in MCF-7/DOX cells through inhibiting P-gp protein.

Aminophenyl chalcones potentiating antibiotic activity and inhibiting bacterial efflux pump

Chalcones and their derivatives are substances of great interest for medicinal chemistry due to their antibacterial activities. As the bacterial resistance to clinically available antibiotics has become a worldwide public health problem, it is essential to search for compounds capable of reverting the bacterial resistance. As a possibility, the chalcone class could be an interesting answer to this problem. The chalcones (2E)-1-(4'-aminophenyl)-3-(phenyl)‑prop-2-en-1-one (APCHAL), and (2E)-1-(4'-aminophenyl)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)‑prop-2-en-1-one (ACLOPHENYL) were synthesized by the Claisen-Schmidt condensation and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), and mass spectrometry (MS), In addition, microbiological tests were performed to investigate the antibacterial activity, modulatory potential, and efflux pump inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) multi-resistant strains. Regarding the S. aureus Gram-positive model, the APCHAL presented synergism with gentamicin and antagonism with penicillin. APCHAL reduced the Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of gentamicin by almost 70%. When comparing the effects of the antibiotic modifying activity of ACLOPHENYL and APCHAL, a loss of synergism is noted with gentamicin due to the addition of a chlorine to the substance structure. For Escherichia coli (E. coli) a total lack of effect, synergistic or antagonistic, was observed between ACLOPHENYL and the antibiotics. In the evaluation of inhibition of the efflux pump, both chalcones presented a synergistic effect with norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin against S. aureus, although the effect is much less pronounced with ACLOPHENYL. The effect of APCHAL is particularly notable against the K2068 (MepA overexpresser) strain, with synergistic effects with both ciprofloxacin and ethidium bromide. The docking results also show that both compounds bind to roughly the same region of the binding site of 1199B (NorA overexpresser), and that this region overlaps with the preferred binding region of norfloxacin. The APCHAL chalcone may contribute to the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant S. aureus.

Assessing Barriers for Antimicrobial Penetration in Complex Asymmetric Bacterial Membranes: A Case Study with Thymol

The bacterial cell envelope is a complex multilayered structure evolved to protect bacteria in hostile environments. An understanding of the molecular basis for the interaction and transport of antibacterial therapeutics with the bacterial cell envelope will enable the development of drug molecules to combat bacterial infections and suppress the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Here we report the successful creation of an in vitro supported lipid bilayer (SLB) platform of the outer membrane (OM) of E. coli, an archetypical Gram-negative bacterium, containing the full smooth lipopolysaccharide (S-LPS) architecture of the membrane. Using this platform, we performed fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in combination with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to measure lipid diffusivities and provide molecular insights into the transport of natural antimicrobial agent thymol. Lipid diffusivities measured on symmetric supported lipid bilayers made up of inner membrane lipids show a distinct increase in the presence of thymol as also corroborated by MD simulations. However, lipid diffusivities in the asymmetric OM consisting of only S-LPS are invariant upon exposure to thymol. Increasing the phospholipid content in the LPS-containing outer leaflet improved the penetration toward thymol as reflected in slightly higher relative diffusivity changes in the inner leaflet when compared with the outer leaflet. Free-energy computations reveal the presence of a barrier (∼6 kT) only in the core-saccharide region of the OM for the translocation of thymol while the external O-antigen part is easily traversed. In contrast, thymol spontaneously inserts into the inner membrane. In addition to providing leaflet-resolved penetration barriers in bacterial membranes, we also assess the ability of small molecules to penetrate various membrane components. With rising bacterial resistance, our study opens up the possibility of screening potential antimicrobial drug candidates using these realistic model platforms for Gram-negative bacteria.

Novel Cinnamoylated Flavoalkaloids Identified in Tea with Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Effect

3-O-Cinnamoylepicatechin (1) was synthesized along with four flavoalkaloids, (-)-6-(5‴S)-N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone-3-O-cinnamoylepicatechin (2), (-)-6-(5‴R)-N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone-3-O-cinnamoylepicatechin (3), (-)-8-(5‴S)-N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone-3-O-cinnamoylepicatechin (4), and (-)-8-(5‴R)-N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinone-3-O-cinnamoylepicatechin (5) via esterification of epicatechin followed by phenolic Mannich reaction of 1 with theanine in the presence of heat. The new compounds 1-5 were detected in leaves of three tea cultivars, Fuding-Dabai, Huangjingui, and Zimudan with the help of ultra-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated with a photodiode array detector and electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-ESI-HRMS), suggesting that they are naturally occurring in tea leaves. The structures of the novel natural products were characterized by one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) and mass spectroscopy. Compounds 1-5 were then evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory effect (IC₅₀ = 0.12-1.02 μM). The availability of the synthesized epicatechin derivatives 1-5 via a synthetic route enabled the first unequivocal identification of these derivatives as tea secondary metabolites and made it possible to determine their content in the tea material as well as the diverse bioactivities.

Amphiphilic Cationic Macromolecules Highly Effective Against Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria and Fungi With No Detectable Resistance

The ever increasing threats of Gram-positive superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococccus faecium (VRE) are serious matter of concern worldwide toward public health. Such pathogens cause repeated recurrence of infections through the formation of biofilms which consist of metabolically inactive or slow growing dormant bacterial population in vast majority. Concurrently, dispersal of biofilms originates even more virulent dispersed cells responsible for pathogenesis. Along with this, fungal infections most commonly associated with Candida albicans also created a major complicacy in human healthcare. Moreover, concomitant survival of C. albicans and MRSA in a multispecies biofilms created extremely complicated polymicrobial infections. Surprisingly, infections associated with single species biofilm as well as multiple species biofilm (co-existence of MRSA and C. albicans) are almost untreatable with conventional antibiotics. Therefore, the situation demands an urgent development of antimicrobial agent which would tackle persistent infections associated with bacteria, fungi and their biofilms. Toward this goal, herein we developed a new class of branched polyethyleneimine based amphiphilic cationic macromolecules (ACMs) bearing normal alkyl, alkyl ester and alkyl amide moieties. An optimized compound with dual activity against drug-resistant bacteria (MIC = 2-4 μg/mL) and fungi (MIC = 4-8 μg/mL) was identified with minimal toxicity toward human erythrocytes (HC₅₀ = 270 μg/mL). The lead compound, ACM-A_Hex (12) displayed rapid bactericidal and fungicidal kinetics (>5 log CFU/mL reduction within 1-4 h). It also killed metabolically dormant stationary (MRSA and VRE) and persister (S. aureus) cells. Moreover, this compound was able to disrupt the preformed biofilm of MRSA and reduced the bacterial burden related to the dispersed cells. It showed significant proficiencies to eliminate polymicrobial biofilms of MRSA and C. albicans. Bacteria also could not develop any resistant against this class of membrane active molecules even after 15 days of successive passages. Taken together this class of macromolecule can be developed further as a dual therapeutic agent to combat infections associated with bacterial and fungal co-existence.

Chalcone hybrids and their antimalarial activity

Malaria, one of the most striking, re-emerging infectious diseases caused by the genus Plasmodium, places a huge burden on global healthcare systems. A major challenge in the control and eradication of malaria is the continuous emergence of increasingly widespread drug-resistant malaria, creating an urgent need to develop novel antimalarial agents. Chalcone derivatives are ubiquitous in nature and have become indispensable units in medicinal chemistry applications due to their diverse biological profiles. Many chalcone derivatives demonstrate potential in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity, so chalcone could be a useful template for the development of novel antimalarial agents. This review covers the recent development of chalcone hybrids as antimalarial agents. The critical aspects of the design and structure-activity relationship of these compounds are also discussed.

Usnic acid modifies MRSA drug resistance through down-regulation of proteins involved in peptidoglycan and fatty acid biosynthesis

Multidrug‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections place a huge burden on the healthcare sector and the wider community. An increasing rate of infections caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has necessitated the development of alternative agents. We previously reported that usnic acid (UA) has activity against MRSA; here, we report the effect of UA in combination with norfloxacin on the drug resistance of MRSA clinical isolates. We observed that the combination of UA–norfloxacin significantly reduces the bacterial burden in mouse models infected with S. aureus, without causing any detectable associated toxicity. Proteomic analysis indicated that UA–norfloxacin induces oxidative stress within cells, which leads to membrane damage and inhibits metabolic activity and biosynthesis of peptidoglycan and fatty acids. Collectively, this study provides evidence that UA in combination with norfloxacin may be a potential candidate for development into a resistance‐modifying agent for the treatment of invasive MRSA infections.

This is the first report on the drug resistance‐modifying potential of usnic acid (UA) through inhibition of the multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump and down‐regulation of proteins involved in peptidoglycan and fatty acid biosynthesis. This compound may be helpful in the management of infection caused by MRSA through (a) lowering the prescribed amount of antibiotics, (b) decreasing MDR generation, and (c) intensifying the efficacy of antibiotics against MRSA/VRSA under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. These results may be helpful in the development of anti‐MRSA drug combinations from economical and non‐toxic natural products.

Synthetic flavonoids with antimicrobial activity: a review

The emergence of drug-resistant microbes left us with a great need for new antimicrobial agents. Flavonoids, with their wide range of biological activities, are good candidates in this respect. Although naturally occurring flavonoids are the most studied ones, semi-synthetic or synthetic flavonoids have proven to have great potential, inhibiting and even killing microbes at concentrations below 1 μg ml^-1 . The substitution pattern of these flavonoids often includes hydroxy groups, halogens or other heteroatomic rings, such as pyridine, piperidine or 1,3-dithiolium cations. However, the great variety in substituents makes it difficult to draw any definitive conclusion regarding their structure-activity relationship.

A Molecular Modeling Approach to Identify Novel Inhibitors of the Major Facilitator Superfamily of Efflux Pump Transporters

Multidrug efflux systems play a prominent role in medicine, as they are important contributors to bacterial antibiotic resistance. NorA is an efflux pump transporter from the major facilitator superfamily that expels numerous drug compounds across the inner membrane of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The design of novel inhibitors to combat drug efflux could offer new opportunities to avoid the problem of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we performed molecular modeling studies in an effort to discover novel NorA efflux pump inhibitors. A group of over 673 compounds from the PubChem database with a high (>80%) level of similarity to the chemical structure of capsaicin was used to study the binding affinity of small molecule compounds for the NorA efflux pump. Ten potential lead compounds displayed a good druggability profile, with one in particular (CID 44330438) providing new insight into the molecular mechanism of the inhibition of major facilitator superfamily (MFS) efflux pump transporters. It is our hope that the overall strategy described in this study, and the structural information of the potential novel inhibitors thus identified, will stimulate others to pursue the development of better drugs to tackle multidrug resistance in S. aureus.