title: Antibacterial and antifungal activity of cicerfuran and related 2-arylbenzofurans and stilbenes.
abstract: Cicerfuran, 2-(2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-hydroxybenzofuran, is an antifungal phytoalexin previously isolated from the roots of chickpea, Cicer spp. The synthesis of cicerfuran, five 2-arylbenzofuran analogues and nine stilbene intermediates was reported recently. The antimicrobial activities of these compounds were evaluated against two species of bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas syringae, and four species of filamentous fungi, Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium herbarum and Monilinia aucupariae. Stilbenes with a free hydroxyl group were active against both bacteria and fungi with MICs in the range 25-100microg/ml. Cicerfuran was the only 2-arylbenzofuran that showed antimicrobial activity with MICs as low as 25microg/ml. Some aspects of the structure-activity relationship are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Shazia N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Aslam
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokubun
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001572:Benzofurans; D013267:Stilbenes; C515790:cicerfuran