Table 7.

Correlations between polymers structural properties, antimicrobial activity and toxicity.

Type of CAP	CAP Structural Properties	Hemolysis (H) Cytotoxicity (C) Biocompatibility (B)	Antimicrobial Activity
quaternized pyridinium–methacrylate copolymers	charge spatially separates by alkyl tails	↑H ↑C	↑ [134]
hydrophilic vinylpyridine-based co-polymer quaternized with PVP links	use of strongly hydrophilic comonomers (HEMA or PEGMA)	↓H,C	↑ [90]
quaternized PVP	use of hydrophilic comonomers	↓H ↑B	↑ [125]
N-hexyl, methyl-PEI	larger size	no appreciable	↑ [135]
polystyrene-based ammonium polymers	protonated tertiary amine groups	not available	↑ [71]
polystyrene-based ammonium polymers	quaternized ammonium groups	not available	↓ [71] 1
random amphiphilic methacrylamide-based ammonium copolymers	protonated primary amine groups hydrophobic alkyl groups in the side chains	minimal	↑ [72]
random amphiphilic methacrylamide-based ammonium copolymers	protonated tertiary amine groups hydrophobic alkyl groups in the side chains	minimal	↑ [72]
random amphiphilic methacrylamide-based ammonium copolymers	quaternized ammonium groups hydrophobic alkyl groups in the side chains	considerable	↓ [72]
Water-soluble cationic PDAAs containing pyrrolidine links	protonated secondary or tertiary amine groups	not available	↑ [136]
quaternized ammonium groups	quaternized ammonium groups	not available	↓ [79]
poly(diallylammonium trifluoroacetate) (PDAATFA)	protonated secondary amine groups	not available	↑ [79]
poly(diallylammonium trifluoroacetate) (PQAS TFA)	quaternary ammonium groups	not available	↓ [79] 1
quaternized alkyl pyridinium polyoxanorbornene	chain < C4	low	↓ [88]
quaternized alkyl pyridinium polyoxanorbornene	chain > C6	considerable	↑ [88]

¹ compared to the not quaternized polymers reported in the previous row.