Cationic amphipathic compound of formula: in which: - R corresponds to formula: in which: • R 1 and R 2, identical or different, represent a linear, branched and/or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group comprising from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; • A and B, identical, represent a -C -O-; -CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O-group; • A and B, different, represent a -C -O-; -O-C -; CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O- group; • a is an integer comprised between 1 and 6; • b is an integer comprised between 0 and 6; • D represents an -NH-, -CO-, or -S- group; • E represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon group of formula: -G 1 -X 1 -G 1 - in which - X 1 represents a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and - G 1 represents a -CO- or -NH- group; • m is 1; • AA represents an amino acid radical; • n is an integer equal to 0 or 1; • W 1 corresponds to the formula: -G 2 -X 2 - and W 2 corresponds to formula: -X 3 -G 3 - in which X 2 and X 3, identical or different, represents a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, whilst G 2 and G 3, identical or different, represent a -CO-, -NH- or -O- group; • L represents an ester (-CO-O-), disulphide (-S-S-), vinyl ether (-O-C=C-), acylhydrazone (-CO-NR-N=CR'R") group; • p is an integer equal to 0 or 1; • Y is a branched group which corresponds to formula (VIII): -CO-X 4 -NH-X 5 -N-[X 6 -NH] 2 - or: -NH-X 5 -N-[X 6 -NH] 2 -, in which X 4, X 5 and X 6, identical or different, represent a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; • q is an integer comprised between 0 and 8; • Z represents a basic amino acid or serine; • r is an integer comprised between 1 and 16, it being understood that if q is equal to 1 then r is at least equal to 2 and that if r is greater than 1, then the Z groups can be identical or different; • s is an integer equal to 1 or 2; and its physiologically acceptable addition salts. - R corresponds to formula: in which: • R 1 and R 2, identical or different, represent a linear, branched and/or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group comprising from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; • A and B, identical, represent a -C -O-; -CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O-group; • A and B, different, represent a -C -O-; -O-C -; CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O- group; • a is an integer comprised between 1 and 6; • b is an integer comprised between 0 and 6; • D represents an -NH-, -CO-, or -S- group; • E represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon group of formula: -G 1 -X 1 -G 1 - in which • R 1 and R 2, identical or different, represent a linear, branched and/or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group comprising from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; • A and B, identical, represent a -C -O-; -CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O-group; • A and B, different, represent a -C -O-; -O-C -; CO-NH-; -NH-CO-; -NH- or -O- group; • a is an integer comprised between 1 and 6; • b is an integer comprised between 0 and 6; • D represents an -NH-, -CO-, or -S- group; • E represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon group of formula: -G 1 -X 1 -G 1 - in which - X 1 represents a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and - G 1 represents a -CO- or -NH- group; • m is 1; • AA represents an amino acid radical; • n is an integer equal to 0 or 1; • W 1 corresponds to the formula: -G 2 -X 2 - and W 2 corresponds to formula: -X 3 -G 3 - in which X 2 and X 3, identical or different, represents a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, whilst G 2 and G 3, identical or different, represent a -CO-, -NH- or -O- group; • L represents an ester (-CO-O-), disulphide (-S-S-), vinyl ether (-O-C=C-), acylhydrazone (-CO-NR-N=CR'R") group; • p is an integer equal to 0 or 1; • Y is a branched group which corresponds to formula (VIII): -CO-X 4 -NH-X 5 -N-[X 6 -NH] 2 - or: -NH-X 5 -N-[X 6 -NH] 2 -, in which X 4, X 5 and X 6, identical or different, represent a bridging linear or branched alkylene group comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; • q is an integer comprised between 0 and 8; • Z represents a basic amino acid or serine; • r is an integer comprised between 1 and 16, it being understood that if q is equal to 1 then r is at least equal to 2 and that if r is greater than 1, then the Z groups can be identical or different; • s is an integer equal to 1 or 2; and its physiologically acceptable addition salts.