Studies on the Mode of Action of the Phenolic Antibacterial Agent Fentichlor against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli I. The Adsorption of Fentichlor by the Bacterial Cell and its Antibacterial Activity

Abstract

Fentichlor is adsorbed in fairly large amounts by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and, according to the quantity adsorbed, is either bacteriostatic or bactericidal. The observed pattern of uptake, measured under various conditions, indicates that uptake involves reversible adsorption of the neutral molecule on to the cell. The drug is taken up by the cell wall and cell membrane, the latter probably being the main site of adsorption and main site of action. Although both whole cells and cell walls of E. coli have a higher affinity for Fentichlor than those of Staph. aureus, the former is less susceptible to its antibacterial action. Results indicate that this may be due to the lipid‐rich nature of the cell walls of E. coli which act as an adsorbing barrier preventing the access of the drug to its site of action.

Studies on the Mode of Action of the Phenolic Antibacterial Agent Fentichlor against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli II. The Effects of Fentichlor on the Bacterial Membrane and the Cytoplasmic Constituents of the Cell

“…Bacterial suspensions were prepared as described by Hugo & Bloomfield (1971). coli NCTC 86 and Bacillus mgaterium K.M.…”

Evaluation of in vitro antibacterial activity of some disinfectants on Escherichia coli serotypes.

“…coli cells that may lose their viability on using a disinfectant concentration undergo phenotypic, biochemical, or structural changes to adapt themselves to grow in drug and continuing multiplication (Hugo and Bloomfield, 1971). The microbial population of the res- piratory tract is proportional to the relative abilities of individual species of bacteria to attach to the epithelial cells of this region.…”

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract in meat paté at different temperatures

“…Phenolic compounds can denature enzymes (Furneri, Marino, Saija, Uccella & Bisignano, 2002) but they can also bind to substrates such as minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates making them unavailable for microorganisms (Stern, Hagerman, Steinberg & Mason, 1996;Shahidi & Naczk, 2004, p. 352e5). Furthermore, phenols can be absorbed to the cell wall, resulting in a disruption of the membrane structure and function (Hugo & Bloomfield, 1971).…”