Antimicrobial Activity of the Marine Alkaloids Haminol and Pulo’upone and Related Compounds

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. A journal of biosciences Vol. 57; no. 5; pp. 548 - 552
• Main Authors: Pelttari, Eila, Matikainen, Jorma, Elo, Hannu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 01.05.2002
• Subjects: Alkaloids - chemistry; Alkaloids - isolation & purification; Alkaloids - pharmacology; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial Activity of Alkaloids; Antifungal Activity of Alkaloids; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Fungi - drug effects; Fungi - growth & development; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Structure; Mollusc Alkaloid Analogues; Mollusca - chemistry; Pyridines - pharmacology; Structure-Activity Relationship
• ISSN: 0939-5075; 1865-7125
• DOI: 10.1515/znc-2002-5-625

The marine alkaloids haminol A, haminol B and pulo’upone as well as 17 related compounds (twelve 2-substituted pyridine derivatives, four 3-substituted ones and one analogue of the bicyclic terminus of pulo’upone) were tested for antimicrobial activity against a panel of six microbes (Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) using the paper disc agar diffusion method. Six compounds were tested also against the mold Aspergillus niger. Some of the compounds displayed noteworthy antimicrobial activity, only one congener being completely devoid of activity. Nearly all compounds had activity against B. cereus and S. epidermidis. The growth of E. coli, C. albicans and S. cerevisiae was also distinctly inhibited by many compounds. In contrast, most compounds were inactive or had minimal activity against P. aeruginosa. Interestingly, most of the compounds tested against the opportunistic pathogen A. niger were active, one of them having noteworthy inhibitory potency.