Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of promising 7-arylamino-5,8-dioxo-5,8-dihydroisoquinoline-4-carboxylates and their halogenated amino compounds for treating Gram-negative bacterial infections

Pathogenic bacteria may cause serious infections, such as pneumonia, which can be fatal especially to immunosuppressed individuals. Hospitalized patients are particularly susceptible to antibiotic-resistant infections, which are worsened when caused by resistant Gram-negative pathogens due to there being few therapeutic options available. Thus, this work describes the synthesis and in vitro antimicrobial profile of 7-arylamino-5,8-dioxo-5,8-dihydroisoquinoline-4-carboxylates and their halogenated aminoquinones against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Interestingly, these bioactive substances have shown promising activity against Gram-negative pathogenic strains. Among these derivatives, two non-halogenated amino compounds exhibited promising MIC and MBC values (MIC = MBC = 1-2 mu g mL(-1)) against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, two Gram-negative strains of clinical importance. In addition, mono- and di-brominated aminoquinones were also effective in preventing the growth of E. coli (MIC = MBC = 2-4 mu g mL(-1)). The in vitro hemocompatibility evaluation showed a low toxicity profile for the active aminoquinones in hemolysis assays. These results suggest that these substances have potential for exploring the design of new antimicrobial prototypes against Gram-negative bacteria.