Antimicrobial and genotoxic properties of quinoline derivatives.

We continued our research into the biological properties of quinoline derivatives. Newly synthesized 8-sulfonylquinolines, tested against some representative microbial strains and practically inactive, were also studied for the genotoxic properties. The genotoxicity tests were extended to previously synthesized compounds (some 6-substituted 8-quinolinecarboxylic acids, the amide and some esters of 8-quinolinecarboxylic acid and finally the 8-quinolinecarboxaldehyde and two of its derivatives). Rec-assay and Salmonella-microsome tests showed several compounds to be genotoxic; the mutagenic activity seems to be modulated by the nature of the substituents. The results obtained are discussed with the aim of explaining possible structure-activity relationships.