title: Antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol congeners against wood-rot fungi.
abstract: In this study, the antifungal activities of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol congeners against white-rot fungus Lenzites betulina and brown-rot fungus Laetiporus sulphureus were evaluated and the relationships between the antifungal activity and the chemical structures were also examined. Results from antifungal tests revealed that cinnamaldehyde, alpha-methyl cinnamaldehyde, (E)-2-methylcinnamic acid, eugenol and isoeugenol exhibited strong antifungal activity against all fungi tested. Results derived from the chemical structure-antifungal activity relationship study suggested that compounds with an aldehyde group or an acid group, a conjugated double bond and a length of CH chain outside the ring affect their antifungal properties. Furthermore, the presence of the methyl moiety in the ortho position may have a considerable influence on the inhibitory action against L. betulina and L. sulphureus. In addition, the lipophilicity may play, in part, a crucial role in determining the toxicity of phenylpropenes.
authors.affiliation: The Experimental Forest, National Taiwan University, Nan-Tou 557, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sen-Sung
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ju-Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ed-Haun
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shang-Tzen
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005054:Eugenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014934:Wood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005054:Eugenol; C036643:isoeugenol; D000171:Acrolein; C012843:cinnamaldehyde