Antifungal activities of compounds isolated from Piper abutiloides Kunth

Mycoses. 2009 Nov;52(6):499-506. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2008.01636.x.

Abstract

Piperaceae is a family of tropical plants known to have antifungal, antibacterial, tumour-inhibitory, antiviral, antioxidant, molluscicidal and leishmanicidal activities. In this work, extracts and fractions from aerial parts of Piper abutiloides (Piperaceae), a traditional medicinal plant, were evaluated against the fungal species Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, Cryptococcus neoformans and Sporothrix schenckii. The results have shown that the antifungal activity of this plant can be concentrated in the hexanic fraction after partitioning its hydroalcoholic extract between hexane and 90% aqueous methanol. The chromatographic fractionation of the bioactive part was monitored with a bioautographic assay using C. glabrata, and allowed the isolation of three antifungal compounds: pseudodillapiol, eupomatenoid-6 and conocarpan. These compounds presented different potencies against the fungi tested, with the strongest effect being observed for eupomatenoid-6 against C. glabrata, which presented a minimal inhibitory concentration value of 0.3 microg spot(-1). Conocarpan showed antifungal activity without apparent cytotoxic effect on normal human lymphocytes, as assessed by the proliferation assay with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with phytohaemaglutinin. This work reveals for the first time the occurrence of these compounds in P. abutiloides and justifies further studies to clarify their mechanisms of action.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antifungal Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / toxicity
  • Benzofurans / isolation & purification
  • Benzofurans / pharmacology
  • Benzofurans / toxicity
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Chemical Fractionation / methods
  • Chromatography / methods
  • Cryptococcus neoformans / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phenols / isolation & purification
  • Phenols / pharmacology
  • Phenols / toxicity
  • Piper / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / toxicity
  • Sporothrix / drug effects*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Benzofurans
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • conocarpan
  • eupomatenoid 6