Formazans and tetrazolium salts as potential antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents.

Fifteen 1-aryl-3-(3'-nitro-4'-methoxyphenyl)-5-phenyl formazans and five 3-aryl-5-(3'-nitro-4'-methoxy phenyl)-2-phenyl tetrazolium bromides have been tested against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for their antibacterial and against Aspergillus flavus and Helminthosporium gramineum for their antifungal activities. Most of the compounds have shown promising antibacterial and antifungal action. These compounds were also found to exhibit significant antiviral activity against sunnhemp rosette virus in Cyamopsis tetragonoloba plants in vivo as well as in vivo.