A series of pentamethinium salts with benzothiazolium and indolium side units comprising one or two positive charges were designed and synthesized to determine the relationships among the molecular structure, charge density, affinity to sulfated polysaccharides, and biological activity. Firstly, it was found that the affinity of the pentamethinium salts to sulfated polysaccharides correlated with their biological activity. Secondly, the side heteroaromates displayed a strong effect on the cytotoxicity and selectivity towards cancer cells. Finally, doubly charged pentamethinium salts possessing benzothiazolium side units exhibited remarkably high efficacy against a taxol-resistant cancer cell line.

设计并合成了一系列带有苯并噻唑鎓和吲哚鎓侧链的，包含一个或两个正电荷的五甲亚铵盐，以确定分子结构，电荷密度，对硫酸化多糖的亲和力和生物活性之间的关系。首先，发现五次甲基鎓盐对硫酸化多糖的亲和力与其生物学活性有关。其次，侧杂芳酸酯显示出对癌细胞的细胞毒性和选择性的强烈影响。最后，具有苯并噻唑鎓侧单元的双电荷的五次甲基鎓盐对紫杉醇抗性癌细胞系显示出显着的高功效。