Chitosan oligosaccharide-N-chlorokojic acid mannich base polymer as a potential antibacterial material.

Here, a nontoxic antibacterial material based on Chitosan Oligosaccharide-N-Chlorokojic acid Mannich base (COS-N-MB) that was synthesized by using the selective partial alkylation reaction displaying excellent activity against bacterial infection. The proposed mechanism of the action of COS-N-MB is that this antibacterial material with positive charge and synergistic antibacterial effects can promote it's adsorption to bacterial cell wall through electrostatic interaction and chelating metal cations. It changed the permeability of the membrane, caused cellular leakage, and destroyed the membrane integrity, leading to complete membrane disruption and eventually death of the bacteria. Besides, COS-N-MB can interact with membrane proteins, causing deformation in the structure and functionality. The good biocompatibility, noncytotoxic, and low hemolysis made this novel material a promising and effective compound for antibacterial applications.