title: Bioactive alkyl phenols and embelin from Oxalis erythrorhiza.
abstract: The benzoquinone embelin and four alkyl phenols were isolated from an Argentinean collection of Oxalis erythrorhiza. 3-Heptadecyl-5-methoxy-phenol is reported for the first time. The structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. Embelin presented inhibitory effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and the dermatophytic fungi Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum with MICs ranging between 50 and 100 microg/ml. Furthermore, embelin was active against Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes with 100% lysis at 100 microg/ml and cytotoxicity below the trypanocidal concentration. The new alkyl phenol 3-heptadecyl-5-methoxy-phenol was active towards Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania donovani promastigotes with 100% lysis at 100 microg/ml. The cytotoxicity (IC50) of embelin and the new alkyl phenol on human lung fibroblasts were 739 and 366 microM, respectively. The plant is used to treat heart complains, a symptomatology related to Chagas' disease which is endemic in the San Juan Province, Argentine.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Avda. Ignacio de La Roza 230 Oeste, C.P. 5400 San Juan, Argentina. gferesin@unsj.edu.ar
authors.forename: Gabriela Egly
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Feresin
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tapia
authors.forename: Maximiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sortino
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zacchino
authors.forename: Antonieta Rojas
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: de Arias
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inchausti
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yaluff
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Theoduloz
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmeda-Hirschmann
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D016227:Benzoquinones; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; C010945:embelin