Antibacterial Activity of Dipropofol and Related Compounds

• Published in: Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 1120 - 1122
• Main Authors: Ogata, Masahiro, Sato, Kanae Tutumimoto, Kunikane, Takao, Oka, Kentaro, Seki, Masako, Urano, Shiro, Hiramatsu, Keiichi, Endo, Toyoshige
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.06.2005; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemical synthesis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; antimicrobial activity; antioxidant; dipropofol; methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Microbial Sensitivity Tests - methods; Propofol - analogs & derivatives; Propofol - chemical synthesis; Propofol - pharmacology; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - growth & development; vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE)
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.28.1120

Phenolic compounds, in general, exhibit antioxidant and antibacterial activities. We studied antimicrobial activity of the phenolic antioxidants, propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol), tocopherol, eugenol, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and several of their dimer compounds. Dipropofol (dimer of 2,6-diisopropylphenol) showed strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive strains including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE), while propofol and other monomeric and dimeric phenols having methyl or tert-butyl groups showed no remarkable activity. The results indicated that the dimeric structure of 2,6-diisopropylphenol moiety may play an important role in the antibacterial activity.