title: 2,6-hexadecadiynoic acid and 2,6-nonadecadiynoic acid: novel synthesized acetylenic fatty acids as potent antifungal agents.
abstract: The hitherto unknown 2,6-hexadecadiynoic acid, 2,6-nonadecadiynoic acid, and 2,9-hexadecadiynoic acid were synthesized in two steps and in 11-18% overall yields starting from either 1,5-hexadiyne or 1,8-nonadiyne. Among all the compounds 2,6-hexadecadiynoic acid displayed the best overall antifungal activity against both the fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans strains ATCC 14053 and ATCC 60193, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of 11 microM), and against Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 66031 (MIC < 5.7 microM). 2,9-Hexadecadiynoic acid did not display any significant cytotoxicity against the fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains, but it showed fungitoxicity against C. neoformans ATCC 66031 with a MIC value of < 5.8 microM. Other FA, such as 2-hexadecynoic acid, 5-hexadecynoic acid, 9-hexadecynoic acid, and 6-nonadecynoic acid were also synthesized and their antifungal activities compared with those of the novel acetylenic FA. 2-Hexadecynoic acid, a known antifungal FA, exhibited the best antifungal activity (MIC = 9.4 microM) against the fluconazole-resistant C. albicans ATCC 14053 strain, but it showed a MIC value of only 100 microM against C. albicans ATCC 60193. 2,6-Hexadecadiynoic acid and 2-hexadecynoic acid also displayed a MIC of 140-145 microM toward Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv in Middlebrook 7H12 medium. In conclusion, 2,6-hexadecadiynoic acid exhibited the best fungitoxicity profile compared with other analogues. This diynoic FA has the potential to be further evaluated for use in topical antifungal formulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico. nmcarballeira@uprrp.edu
authors.forename: Néstor M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Carballeira
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanabria
authors.forename: Clarisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Keykavous
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parang
authors.forename: Baojie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franzblau
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: C513620:2,6-hexadecadiynoic acid; C513621:2,6-nonadecadiynoic acid; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated