ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO OF TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES CONTAINING GOLD(I) AND OSMIUM(VI)

Metal compounds have been used as antibacterial agents for centuries. The in-vitro activity of two metal containing complexes, one gold, the other osmium, was investigated using a panel of clinically isolated b acteria and Candida albicans. Twenty strains of each organism were use d and MIC and MBC values determined using the agar plate dilution meth od. Protein binding effects on the activity of the compounds were also investigated using media supplemented with 5% human blood. In-vivo ac tivity of the two compounds was subsequently determined in a hairless- obese mouse skin-surface activity model. Both compounds were highly ac tive against the Gram-positive organisms and Candida albicans in vitro . The gold compound had some Gram-negative activity but the osmium com plex was inactive against these organisms. Both were extensively prote in bound. In the in-vivo experiment the gold compound achieved a 2-3 l og reduction for all the test organisms and was at least as good as or superior to mupirocin in its eradication rate. The osmium compound wa s inactive.