title: Antimicrobial activities of components of the glandular secretions of leaf cutting ants of the genus Atta.
abstract: The secretions of the mandibular and metapleural glands of leaf cutting ants contain antimicrobial substances that protect the mutualistic fungal colony within the nest from attack by parasitic micro-organisms. The major constituents of these secretions (citral, 4-methyl-3-heptanol, 2-heptanone, 3-octanone, 4-methyl-2-heptanone, beta-citronellol, geraniol, phenylacetic, indolacetic, hexanoic and octanoic acids were tested against resistant strains of the human pathogens, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Assays were carried out using filter paper discs impregnated with either hexane or water solutions of the analytes in the concentration range 250-6,000 ng/microl. Although most of the tested compounds presented strong antibacterial and antifungal activities, citral, geraniol, 4-methyl-3-heptanol, hexanoic and octanoic acids were the most effective, particularly against C. albicans. The results suggest that these compounds may be of potential value as antibiotics in the treatment of human candidiasis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ecologia Química, Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana de Lima
authors.initials: Ade L
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Fernando Lucas Torres
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: de Mesquita
authors.forename: Rousseau da Silva
authors.initials: Rda S
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Ruth R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Do Nascimento
authors.forename: Eulália Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ximenes
authors.forename: Antônio Euzébio G
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001000:Ants / Q000737:chemistry*; D012634:Bodily Secretions / Q000737:chemistry*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D002208:Caproates / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002210:Caprylates / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007659:Ketones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002208:Caproates; D002210:Caprylates; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D007659:Ketones; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010648:Phenylacetates; D013729:Terpenes; C037652:hexanoic acid; C030737:indoleacetic acid; C017582:3-octanone; C011917:2-heptanone; C025136:phenylacetic acid; C007836:geraniol; C031492:octanoic acid; C007076:citral