Trovafloxacin is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic that inhibits the activity of DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, enzymes involved in DNA replication. It also acts as an effective and specific inhibitor of the pannexin 1 channel (PANX1, IC50 = 4 μM).

Trovafloxacin mesylate is an inhibitor of TO-PRO-3 uptake by apoptotic cells and inhibits ATP release from apoptotic cells. Trovafloxacin mesylate does not inhibit caspase 3/7 activation, or caspase-mediated PANX1 cleavage during apoptosis[1]. Trovafloxacin mesylate is equally active against both penicillin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci, with MICs of 0.06-0.25 mg/mL reported for more than 700 isolates. The MICs of Trovafloxacin mesylate at which 90% of isolates are inhibited for 55 isolates of pneumococci is 0.125 μg/mL[2]. Trovafloxacin mesylate prolongs TNF-induced activation of MAPKs and IKKα/β activation in HepG2 cells. Trovafloxacin mesylate (20 µM; 24 hours) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF; 4 ng/mL) incubation induces apoptosis and increases leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Trovafloxacin mesylate (20 µM; 24 hours) and TNF (4 ng/mL) incubation increases expression of early NF-κB-related factors A20 and IκBα[3].