Synthesis,Anti‐MRSA,and Anti‐VRE Activity of Hemin Conjugates with Amino Acids and Branched Peptides

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic‐resistant bacterial strains has necessitated the synthesis of novel antibacterial agents. It was previously shown that naturally occurring metalloporphyrin hemin possesses dark antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria. To improve hemin antibacterial activity, we synthesized a number of hemin conjugates with amino acids and branched peptides. Arginine‐containing hemin conjugates demonstrated high antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria including methicillin‐ and vancomycin‐resistant strains in vitro. Most of the synthesized conjugates showed low toxicity against human erythrocytes and leukocytes.