Identification of nor-β-lapachone derivatives as potential antibacterial compounds against Enterococcus faecalis clinical strain

Curr Microbiol. 2011 Feb;62(2):684-9. doi: 10.1007/s00284-010-9763-6. Epub 2010 Sep 30.

Abstract

A broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy has led to medical complications and emergence of multiresistant bacteria including Enterococcus faecalis. In this study, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated the antibacterial activity of 13 nor-β-lapachone derivatives against a drug resistant E. faecalis strain. Two triazole substituted compounds (1e = 8 μg/ml and 1c = 16 μg/ml) and the non-substituted derivative (1a = 8 μg/ml) were promising compared to chloramphenicol (12 μg/ml), an antibiotic currently available in the market. We also performed a structure-activity relationship analysis using a molecular modeling approach that pointed the low HOMO energy values; HOMO density concentrated on the nor-β-lapachone ring, lipophilicity, solubility and number HBA as important stereoelectronic features for the antibacterial profile. In addition the triazole compounds presented low theoretical toxicity profile, and drug-score higher than commercial antibiotics also fulfilling the Lipinski "Rule of Five", which pointed them as promising candidates for further studies in infections caused by multiresistant E. faecalis hospital strains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / toxicity
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / isolation & purification
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Naphthoquinones / chemistry
  • Naphthoquinones / pharmacology*
  • Naphthoquinones / toxicity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Naphthoquinones
  • beta-lapachone