Antibacterial activity of novel naphthoquiones derivatives

1,4-naphthoquinone moiety is Known to confer numerous molecules with distinct biological activities including anti-mycobacterial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Vitamin K2, doxorubicin and mitomycin are among the few examples of this class of chemicals used in the treatment of bleeding, lymphoma and carcinoma respectively. Although the exact action mechanism of these molecules is still under investigation, proposed mechanisms include their interaction with DNA, inhibition of topoisomerase II, and production of ROS, contributing individually or in combination with DNA damage and cell death. In the present study, 6 naphthoquinones were synthesized and assayed for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus by disc diffusion assay and spectrophotometric analysis. DNA topoisomerase II activity was also measured to investigate the degreee of conformation change of a test plasmid DNA affected by the naphthoquinone derivatives.