Effect of irgasan on bacterial growth and its adsorption into the cell wall

Abstract

Isolated cell walls and whole cells of E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were shown to adsorb irgasan, with P. aeruginosa adsorbing the greatest amount of irgasan per microgram of cell wall and whole cell tested. The drug uptake displayed by both cell walls and whole cells appears to be by diffusion. Although P. aeruginosa revealed the highest affinity for the bisphenol of the three organisms tested, it was most resistant to its antibacterial action. These results indicated that the lipid content of the cell wall may be responsible for the degree of adsorption and resistance since P. aeruginosa showed the most adsorption, resistance and the highest cell wall lipid content of the three micro-organisms tested.