Determination of the antibacterial and cytogenetic effects of zinc pyrithione (ZnPT)

In this study, antibacterial and cytogenetic effects of Zinc Pyrithione (ZnPT) were investigated. Antibacterial activity was tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains by disk diffusion method. As a result of the tests, Minimal Inhibition Concentration (MIC) was determined for each microorganism. The MIC value was calculated as 0.03 mg/ml for S. aureus, 0.47 mg/ml for A. baumannii and 0.12 mg/ml for K. pneumoniae. These results reveal that the antibacterial effect of ZnPT varies depending on the concentration and shows different effects against each strain. In cytogenetic studies, chromosomal abnormalities and mitotic index (MI) percentage were examined using Allium cepa stem cells. When the data obtained from different concentrations of ZnPT (0.007 mg/ml, 0.03 mg/ml, 0.12 mg/ml, 0.47 mg/ml and 0.94 mg/ml) were compared with the negative control, it was determined that mitotic abnormality increased as the concentration increased in A. cepa root meristem cells. Among the mitotic abnormalities, C-mitosis and irregular metaphase were the most common abnormalities. When the cytotoxic effect of ZnPT on A. cepa root tip cells was evaluated, it was determined that the percentage of mitotic index decreased with increasing concentration. According to the data obtained from the study, it is thought that ZnPT does not have a genotoxic effect, but may have the potential to cause cytotoxic effects at high concentrations.