Resumen:
ackground: To find alternative compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), novel derivatives from dehydroabietic acid were synthesized. Methods and Results: Compound 12 was the most effective against 15 MRSA and 11 MSSA with MIC values ranging from 3.9 to 15.6 μg/mL. Although less active than 12, compound 11, followed by 25 and 13, also exhibited anti-staphylococcal activity. Additional studies showed that compound 12 is devoid of toxic effect on non-target cells. A structure-activity relationship study revealed that an oxime at C-13 together with a hydroxyl at C-12 could play a key role in the activity. Conclusions: These structures, in particular compound 12, could arise as templates for the development of agents against MRSA and MSSA.