ENZYMATIC AND PERMEABILITY ACTIVITY OF PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA AFTER TREATMENT WITH SUB-MICS OF ORGANIC AMMONIUM-SALTS

The effects of subinhibitory concentrations (1/4, 1/8, 1/16 of the MIC ) of 12 organic ammonium salts of A (hard - alkyltrimethylammonium bro mides) and B (soft - 2-(dodecanoylamino)ethylalkyldimethylammonium bro mides) homologous series on phospholipase C, proteinase, elastase and permeability activity were studied. The substances with longer substit uents were more effective in reducing phospholipase C activity (hard a nd soft series) as well as proteinase (hard series). Phospholipase C w as the most frequently and the most markedly inhibited enzyme. The org anic ammonium salts were less effective in inhibiting elastase and per meability activity. Only one of the substances under study reduced all the tested activities.