Potential role of formaldehyde in the mechanism of action of ascorbigens on the basis of BioArena studies

• Published in: Biomedical chromatography Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 412 - 418
• Main Authors: Kátay, György, Ott, Péter G., Kátay, Edit, Magyar, Donát, Tyihák, Ernő
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.04.2009
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Arginine - chemistry; Arginine - pharmacology; Ascorbic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Ascorbic Acid - chemistry; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; ascorbigen; BioArena system; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Copper - chemistry; Copper - pharmacology; Cyclohexanones - pharmacology; formaldehyde; Formaldehyde - chemistry; Formaldehyde - pharmacology; Glutathione - pharmacology; Indoles - chemistry; Indoles - pharmacology; mechanism of action; methylascorbigen; overpressured layer chromatography; Pseudomonas - drug effects; Pseudomonas savastanoi
• ISSN: 0269-3879; 1099-0801
• DOI: 10.1002/bmc.1133

The effect of ascorbigen and 1′‐methylascorbigen as a model compound pair was studied on the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola in the BioArena experimental system after overpressured layer chromatography. Results showed a characteristic, strong antibacterial effect of 1′‐methylascorbigen and weak effect of ascorbigen present on the adsorbent layer as chromatographic spot. Addition of formaldehyde capture compounds (l‐arginine, glutathione, dimedone) partially or totally reduced the antibacterial effect of 1′‐methylascorbigen and ascorbigen. On adding Cu(II) ions—which mobilize and coordinate formaldehyde—to the culture medium, the antibacterial effect of both compounds became stronger. It is supposed that the weak antibacterial effect of ascorbigen may have originated from the 1′‐methylascorbigen formed in situ on the adsorbent layer by partial enzymatic methylation of ascorbigen. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.