Sophorolipids Having Enhanced Anti-bacterial Activity Sophorolipids (SLs) are glycolipids produced fermentatively by yeast such as Candida bombicola, Candida apicola and Wickerhamiella domercqiae and composed of a dimeric sugar linked with a glycosidic bond to a hydroxyl fatty acid. SLs

Sophorolipids (SLs) are glycolipids produced fermentatively by yeast such as Candida bombicola, Candida apicola and Wickerhamiella domercqiae and composed of a dimeric sugar linked with a glycosidic bond to a hydroxyl fatty acid. SLs have gained interest in pharmaceutical arena because of its wide array of therapeutic benefits. Shah et al. 1 first reported that natural SLs and its first generation chemical derivatives are efficient microbicidal spermicides having activities similar to Nonoxynol-9. Bluth et al. 2 showed that natural SLs are effective septic shock antagonists. Additionally, SLs have been demonstrated to be effective anticancer agents against cancerous cell lines. 3 Major drawback of the SLs so far has been its cytotoxic activities. While efforts are being made to further chemically modify the molecule to increase its potency and decrease its toxicity, no improvements have been reported. The second generation of SL molecules was generated by conjugating amino acids to fatty acid side chain. 4 However, these molecules were less effective as microbicidal spermicides compared to first generation compounds.