In the constant search for new pharmacological compounds, molecular hybridisation is a well-known technique whereby two or more known pharmacophoric subunits are combined to create a new "hybrid" compound. This hybrid is expected to maintain the characteristics of the original compounds whilst demonstrating improvements to their pharmacological action. Accordingly, we report here a series of molecular hybrid compounds based upon eugenol and chloramphenicol pharmacophores. The hybrid compounds were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial potential against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and also rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM). The results highlight that the antimicrobial profiles of the hybrid compounds improve in a very clear fashion when moving through the series. The most prominent results were found when comparing the activity of the hybrid compounds against some of the multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and clinical isolates of rapidly growing mycobacteria.

Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas Universidade Federal de Santa Maria Santa Maria RS 97105 900 Brazil

Escola de Farmácia Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto Ouro Preto MG 35400 000 Brazil

Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas Universidade Federal de Alfenas Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva 700 D 208E Alfenas MG Brazil

Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Universidade Federal de Alfenas Alfenas MG 37130 001 Brazil

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