Enhancement of antibacterial activity by a copper(II) and zinc(II) in chelation with ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid and urea complex

• Published in: Chemical papers Vol. 76; no. 11; pp. 7163 - 7176
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Trong Nghia, Do, Quang Hoa, Vu, Thi Thuy Duong, Nguyen, Thi Thuy, Nguyen, Duc Toan, Nguyen, Thi Bich Ngoc, Tran, Thi Thu Ha, Vu, Thi Kim Oanh, Nghiem, Thi Ha Lien, Hoa, Thi Minh Tu, Nguyen, Thi Minh Huyen, Bui, Phuong Nhung, Nguyen, Minh Hue, Pham, Duc Minh, Tran, Thi Chung Thuy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Versita 01-11-2022
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Medicinal Chemistry; Original Paper; Gram-positive bacteria; Antibacterial activity; Copper ion; Gram-negative bacteria; Zinc chelate complex
• ISSN: 0366-6352; 1336-9075; 2585-7290
• DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02361-3

Although it is unclear how Zn
2+
cooperates with Cu
2+
in synergistic antibacterial activity, a 1:10 ratio of Cu
2+
/Zn
2+
atoms and ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid and urea ligands can be used to form a chelation complex containing Cu
2+
and Zn
2+
. This study investigated the effects of the combination of Cu
2+
and Zn
2+
in chelation with EDTA and urea. The results were compared with the outcomes of either copper or zinc alone against gram-negative
Escherichia coli (E. coli
) and gram-positive
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus
) bacteria. The antibacterial activity was determined through MICs, disc diffusion method, and bacterial cell growth curves. In addition, bacterial destruction by this chelation complex has been observed through SEM images. The presence of copper ion and zinc ion inside the bacterial cells has been proved through EDS measurements. The obtained results allowed us to draw conclusions that the use of both Cu
2+
and Zn
2+
in a chelation complex with EDTA and urea enhances the antimicrobial activity against these bacteria. The bacterial inhibition of this complex was stronger than that of Cu
2+
alone chelated with EDTA or CuSO
4
solution by approximately 100-fold for
S. aureus
and 20-fold for
E. coli
.