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Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Inactivation of Pathogens via Visible-Light Photolysis of Riboflavin-5′-Phosphate
Published on: April 6, 2022
Polypyridyl biguanide ruthenium complex induces photodynamic membrane damage, ferroptosis-like bacterial death, and
Jincan Chen1, Jie Gao1, Liang Hao2
1The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524023, PR China; The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong Zhanjiang, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524023, PR China.
Abstract:
Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) significantly increases both the mortality rate and the difficulty of treatment, highlighting the urgent need for new antimicrobial agents. In this study, two polypyridyl biguanide ruthenium complexes-[Ru(phen)2TolBig](PF6)2 (Ru1) and [Ru(tmp)2TolBig](PF6)2 (Ru2), were synthesized and found to exhibit photodynamic antibacterial activity, with Ru2 demonstrating the most potent effect. In vitro antimicrobial screening showed that both Ru1 and Ru2 effectively inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Mechanistic investigations revealed that Ru2 under light irradiation (Ru2 + L) generated elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to redox imbalance, lipid peroxidation, and a ferroptosis-like bacterial cell death. Additionally, Ru2 + L disrupted bacterial cell membranes and induced "bubbling cell death." Notably, Ru2 exhibited a multi-pathway antibacterial mechanism, which helped reduce the development of bacterial resistance. In vivo experiments further confirmed that Ru2 could accelerate wound healing with minimal physiological toxicity. This study not only expands the antimicrobial potential of biguanide derivatives but also offers a novel strategy for developing multi-pathway antimicrobial agents.
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