title: Fungitoxicity of fatty acids against dermatophytes.
abstract: Ten saturated and three unsaturated fatty acids over a wide spectrum of their carbon chain length were tested for their fungitoxicity against five dermatophytes. The experiments showed that short chain saturated fatty acids (C 7:0-C 11:0) are more toxic to dermatophytes than long chain ones (> C 12:0). The antifungal activity decreases with increasing carbon chain length in the even-numbered carbon chain series. Odd-numbered carbon fatty acids show irregularities in these respects. Undecanoic acid (C 11:0) is outstandingly most toxic in the C 7:0-C 18:0 series. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are more toxic than their corresponding saturated acids. The per cent growth inhibition decreased from day 4 to day 12 at all concentrations suggesting the degradation and/or utilization of fatty acids by the fungi during the observation period. The results are discussed on the background of the biochemistry of fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Meerut University, India.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated