Hydroxy isothiocyanates (ITCs), including some new derivatives of naturally occurring compounds, were synthesized and their minimum inhibitory, minimum fungicidal, and minimum bactericidal concentrations for Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were estimated. These compounds were strongly antimicrobial; for example, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl ITC inhibited growth of all strains examined at concentrations of 7.8 to 15.6 micrograms/ml. The ATP concentration in E. coli was markedly reduced when cells were treated with 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ITC. Inhibition of the growth of E. coli by 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ITC was decreased in the presence of cysteine. Streptolysin S production in washed cells of Streptococcus equisimilis was extremely sensitive to this ITC derivative and this inhibition also was counteracted by cysteine. The results showed that the ITC compounds had antimicrobial effects by blocking sulfhydryl groups.

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Streptolysin S, Trypan Blue, Hemolysis, Streptococcus pyogenesMost dyes related to trypan blue inhibited hemolytic activity of oligonucleotide-streptolysin S (SLS) complex, an exotoxin produced by Streptococcus pyogenes. Order of the inhibition was: trypan blue > benzo blue 2B > Congo red > Evans blue > benzo purpurine 4B > thiazine red > trypan red. When resting streptococcal cells were incubated with these dyes, significant amount of the hemolysin was produced. The carrier (or inducing) activity for SLS was further manifested in growing cell system and the potency of the compounds was as follows: Congo red > benzo blue 2B > trypan blue > Evans blue > Benzo purpurine 4B > thiazine red > trypan red. In this system, Congo red was more effective than oligonucleotide fraction rich in guanyl residue. Chromotrope 2B, H acid and o-tolidine were ineffective, as the carrier as well as the inhibitor. Based on these results, structure-function relationship among SLS, the carrier and the inhibitor was discussed.