title: Secoiridoids and antifungal aromatic acids from Gentiana algida.
abstract: Fractionation of an aqueous acetone extract of the whole herb of Gentiana algida gave one new [2'-(o,m-dihydroxybenzyl)sweroside] and five known secoiridoids, together with anofinic acid, fomannoxin acid, sitosterol, daucosterol, stigmasterol, oleanolic acid, orientin and gentianose. The structures were determined by spectral methods and a few chemical transformations. Anofinic acid and fomannoxin acid were found to be active against Cladosporium cucumerinum, a plant pathogenic fungus. Preliminary structure-activity studies indicated that the presence of carboxylic moieties in these acids was presumably a precondition for activity, whereas their methyl esters, inactive to the fungus, were active against the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates is discussed briefly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences & Technology, Nanjing University, P.R. China.
authors.forename: R X
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wolfender
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: L X
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hostettmann
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002963:Cladosporium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005960:Glucosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D039823:Iridoids; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009904:Optical Rotation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011714:Pyrans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013256:Steroids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005960:Glucosides; D039823:Iridoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011714:Pyrans; D013256:Steroids; D000096:Acetone