Antifungal action of latex saps from Lactuca sativa L. and Asclepias curassavica L.
Asclepias curassavica and Lactuca sativa latex saps inhibit the growth of Candida albicans because they degrade a great number of yeasts. This was confirmed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations. After a contact of 4 h and 6 h yeasts are deformed and emptied of their cytoplasmic content. Moreover, it appears that these saps, particularly Asclepias, also act on the cell wall: the substances presumed to be responsible for these effects were probably terpens and cardenolids but also enzymes, in particular glucanases.
Moulin-Traffort
J
J
Laboratoire de Botanique et Cryptogamie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Marseille, France.
Giordani
R
R
Régli
P
P
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts