Inhibitory effects of pyruvic acid semi- and thiosemicarbazones on the growth of bacteria, yeasts, experimental tumours and plant cells.

Pyruvic acid semi- and thiosemicarbazones (1 and 2, respectively) were tested as inhibitors of bacterial, fungal, experimental tumour and plant cell growth. 1 and 2 displayed a growth-inhibitory effect in vitro against different bacterial strains, and especially against St. aureus mutant UV-2 and S. lutea. The compounds proved to have low activity in vivo against L 1210 and P 388 leukemia, adenocarcinoma 755 and melanoma B 16. 2 inhibited strongly the growth of cultured cells of Lycopersicon esculentum (100% inhibition at a concentration of 1,5 mumol/ml) while 1 was not active.