Chapter 2: Phenothiazinium Salts as Antimicrobial Photosensitizing Agents
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Published:06 Jun 2011
M. Wainwright, in Photodynamic Inactivation of Microbial Pathogens: Medical and Environmental Applications, ed. M. R. Hamblin and G. Jori, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2011, vol. 11, ch. 2, pp. 19-43.
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The phenothiazinium dye methylene blue is among the oldest examples of biological stains. It is also the principle lead compound for cationic photoantimicrobial drug discovery, exhibiting a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, regardless of conventional drug resistance status.
Improvements on methylene blue have been demonstrated by a range of both auxochromic and chromophoric derivatives, including tetra- and pentacyclic derivatives, many of which exhibit absorption wavelengths approaching 700 nm. Potential uses for the derivatives include local and topical antimicrobial therapy, blood product and environmental disinfection.