Structure-Activity Studies on Inhibition of Streptococcus mutans by Long-Chain Aliphatic Diamines

¹ Department of Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA

A series of long-chain aliphatic diamines, R₁R₂N(CH₂)_mNR₃·C_nH_2n+1, was tested for in vitro inhibition of Streptococcus mutans. In general, high activity was found for all analogs with alkyl chains containing 14 to 18 carbons. The nature of the substituents on the remainder of the alkylenediamine were of secondary importance. N-hydroxyethyl substituents tend to decrease activity. Good correlations of activity with quadratic functions of diamine critical micelle concentrations were obtained.