Study of Some Benzimidazole Compounds as Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents

There is a clinical need for new treatment option as a result of continued increase in the expression of resistance among bacterial and fungal pathogens. A number of compounds currently in development show promise. However, in some cases, there is concern that resistance may develop quickly to new compounds that are based on existing antimicrobial agents. So it is therefore desirable to develop new potent antifungal, antibacterial drugs which produces minimum or no side effect and low cost. In continuation of this studies, some benzimidazole derivatives have been prepared and screened their antimicrobial activities with various strains. Various benzimidazole derivative of o-phenylene diamine, 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylene diamine, 4-chloro-1,2-phenylenediamine, 3,4diaminobenzophenone and S-methylated 3,4-diaminobenzophenone have been prepared by the reaction of 4-isothiocyanato-4-methyl pentan-2-one. All synthesized derivatives have been screened with the various bacterial and fungal strains viz. Escherichia coli, Bacillus pumilus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumonaie, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Trichosporum flavurusclem and Microsporum gypseum. After the antimicrobial studies, it were found that the S-methylated 3,4-diamino benzophenone derivative (V) acts as a standard drug against bacterial strain Klebsiella pneumonaie and all tested fungal strains, because it showed more inhibition zone than the standard drug Amoxycillin and Ketoconazole respectively.