Aspects of the antibacterial action of diphenyliodonium chloride.

Diphenyliodonium chloride was found to be a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent and its activity was affected by pH and inoculum size. Its uptake by bacterial cells was Langmuirian, and it caused loss of intracellular material. Aerobic glucose metabolism and dehydrogenase activity were inhibited. Low concentrations of the drug affected the membrane-bound ATPase and K transport in Streptococcus faecalis.