Cationic amphiphiles (CAms) can target negatively charged bacteria membranes through electrostatic interactions followed by insertion of hydrophobic moieties to cause collapse of cells. This unique mechanism makes CAms a new class of antimicrobials with a lower resistance rate compared to traditional antibiotics targeting specific biological pathways. In this work, a class of sugar backbone based synthetic amphiphiles mimicking antimicrobial peptides are presented. These CAms were tested against several different bacteria to confirm their bioactivity and selectivity. The chemical features of CAms and the corresponding synthetic routes were also investigated and optimized to exploit the most cost-efficient and bio-effective structures.<br/><br/>Previous research showed that the monomeric form of the CAms molecules is predominantly responsible for the bioactivity. Formulation of cationic amphiphile antimicrobials to achieve controlled release of bioactive ingredients helps prolong the circulation and enhance efficacy in systems. Chemically and/or physically cross-linking monomeric units with polyanions form hydrogel in aqueous environments that could readily decompose to release monomers over time. This novel material is expected to be biocompatible as well as bioactive.

Controlled release of cationic amphiphile antimicrobials

2019 Fall National Meeting

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