Antibacterial and antifungal activities of complexes of ruthenium (II)

Twenty ruthenium (IT) complexes (1-5) were evaluated for their in vitro ant ibacterial and antifungal activity against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 2921 2), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseu domonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. C ompounds Id! le, Ih, ii and Ij showed more pronounced antimicrobial activit y against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi as compared to the nitrogen dono r ruthenium complexes; hydrophobic substituents were significantly mon effe ctive. None of the compounds 1-5 exhibited antimicrobial activity against t he Gram-negative strains Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Pseudomonas aeru ginosa (ATCC 27853) with the concentrations ranging between 17.5 and 800 mu g/ml.