Table 1.

Structures of pyridinium compounds prepared for testing in the IL-8 assay

R1	Compound	n	IC50
Unsubstituted pyridinium salts (R2 = H)
	1	4	>30
	2	6	>30
	3, MRS 2481	8	1.81 ± 0.58
	4	10	2.52 ± 0.39
	5, MRS 2485	8	>25
	6	8	>30
	7	8	12 ± 0.8
	8	8	3.16 ± 0.52
	9	8	>30
	10	8	>30
	11	8	>30
	12	8	>30
	13	8	>30
	14	8	Toxic at 1 μM
	15	8	2.2 ± 0.8
	16	8	4.6 ± 0.9
	17	8	>30
R1	Compound	R2	IC50
Substituted pyridinium salts and other derivatives, n = 8
	18	3-CONH2	5.56 ± 0.98
	19	p-(CH2)2CH3	3.3 ± 0.5
	20	p-(CH2)2-OH	18 ± 0.9
	21		24 ± 1.0
	22		>30

^aThe IC₅₀ determinations were performed in duplicate at concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 10 μM on IB-3 cells grown in 96-well microtiter plates (n = 3, or more). The solvent control containing EtOH or DMSO for initial dissolution of the compounds, which at the concentration selected minimally deviates from medium alone, is then used as a basis for 100% activity.