Antifungal and antibacterial activities of Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch heartwood lignans.
Five lignans (secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, eudesmin, lariciresinol, and lariciresinol-4-methyl ether) were isolated from an MeOH extract from Araucaria araucana (Mol.) K. Koch wood for the first time in this species and their structures determined with spectroscopic methods. The antimicrobial activities of these compounds were determined for the bacteria Citrobacter sp., Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and for the white rooting and staining fungi Mucor miehei, Paecilomyces variotii, Ceratocystis pilifera, Trametes versicolor, and Penicillium notatum, and in addition, the MeOH extract was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Fusarium moniliforme, F. sporotrichum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The most sensitive bacteria against pinoresinol were the Gram-positive. However, secoisolariciresinol exhibited a significant antifungal activity on fungi of white rooting and wood staining and this compound completely inhibited the mycelial growth of T. versicolor and C. pilifera at 300 and 400 microg per disc, respectively, whereas pinoresinol showed a moderate inhibitory activity. On the other hand, the MeOH extract had the highest activity against rooting and staining and pathogenic fungi as well as T. versicolor, Fusarium spp. and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, inhibiting completely the growth at 400 microg per disc.
Céspedes
Carlos L
CL
Laboratorio de Química Ecológica, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, México D. F, México. ccespede@servidor.unam.mx
Avila
J Guillermo
JG
García
Ana M
AM
Becerra
José
J
Flores
Cristian
C
Aqueveque
Pedro
P
Bittner
Magalis
M
Hoeneisen
Maritza
M
Martinez
Miguel
M
Silva
Mario
M
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D017705:Lignans / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000432:Methanol; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D064028:Tracheophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D014934:Wood
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017705:Lignans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000432:Methanol