3-Imino derivative-sulfahydantoins: Synthesis, in vitro antibacterial and cytotoxic activities and their DNA interactions

Sulfahydantoins are five-membered rings found in the structure of chemicals that exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticonvulsant properties. They also activate serine protease enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds. Five 3-imino sulfahydantoin compounds were synthesized by using Strecker synthesis reaction with minor modifications. We used reflux of various aldehydes with excess sulfamide in 85% methanol in the presence of sodium cyanide. The spectroscopic properties of these compounds were studied in detail. Antibacterial activities of all synthesized new compounds against four Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus mutans) and four Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella Enteritidis) bacteria were investigated by disc diffusion and microdilution method. pBR322 plasmid DNA binding abilities of compounds were investigated in vitro by agarose gel electrophoresis. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of the compounds against the human malignant pleural mesothelioma (SPC212) cell line were determined by the MTT method. The remarkable result in this study is that the synthesized compounds, especially 4b, 4d, and 4e, have significant biological activities. It has been demonstrated that these compounds, which cause DNA damage, also have an important antibacterial effect on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria when results compared with the control group antibiotics. Compound 4e exhibited the highest antibacterial potency against Streptococcus mutans (24.33 ± 0.57) from Gram-positive bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (24.66 ± 1.15) from Gram-negative bacteria. At the same time, MTT results determined that compounds 4b, 4d, and 4e showed cytotoxic activity against the SPC212 cells. In particular, compound 4b had a high cytotoxic effect, and the IC50 value was determined as 6.25 µM.