Author(s): Mohammad Hassan Moshafi , Ali Peymani , Alireza Foroumadi , Mohammad Reza Zabihi , Farzad Doostishoar
Nitrofurans and nitroimidazoles are broad-spectrum antimicrobial
agents, which affect the microbial DNA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate
the new derivatives of these two groups of antimicrobials against certain Gram-positive
and Gram-negative bacterial strains.
Materials and Methods:
Seven new derivatives
of nitrofurans and nitroimidazoles were synthesized, and 6.4 mg of each derivative was
dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. Then, 8 serial dilutions (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64
μg/ml) of each derivative was prepared using Muller-Hinton broth, and the minimum
inhibitory concentration for each derivative was measured and compared to ciprofloxa-
cin (standard).
Results:
All the derivatives had no antibacterial effects against
Gram-negative bacteria (minimum inhibitory concentration > 64 μg/ml); only 2-(5-ni-
tro-2-furyl)-5-(n-pentylsulfunyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole exhibited mild antibacterial effects
against Klebsiella pneumonia (minimum inhibitory concentration of 16-32 μg/ml). The
antibacterial effects of the derivatives against Gram-positive bacteria also showed
variations from complete inhibition of the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and
Bacillus subtilis (minimum inhibitory concentration < 0.5 μg/ml) by 2-(5-nitro-2-fu-
ryl)-5-(n-buthylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazole to no inhibition of S. epidermidis and streptococ-
cus pyogenes.
Conclusion:
These compounds have weak antibacterial effects; only
two derivatives showed antibacterial effects similar to that of the positive control