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Correlation of Basicity and Antiseptic Action in an Acridine Series

Abstract

THE amino acridines are unique among antiseptics in combining a high bacteriostatic activity in the presence of tissue fluids with a relative innocuousness to leucocytes. Hence any information that relates their physical and chemical properties with their antibacterial action is of general interest. The effect on bacteriostatic activity of varying the positions of amino groups in the acridine nucleus has already been studied in a series of diaminoacridines1 which included the widely used antiseptics proflavine (2: 8-diaminoacridine) and acriflavine. The contribution of each amino group towards the total effect was therein assessed, thus virtually predicting the antiseptic properties of the five isomeric mono-aminoacridines.

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References

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ALBERT, A., RUBBO, S. & GOLDACRE, R. Correlation of Basicity and Antiseptic Action in an Acridine Series. Nature 147, 332–333 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1038/147332a0

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