Antifungal activity of the benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids from Chelidonium majus Linn against resistant clinical yeast isolates.
BACKGROUND
The herb of Chelidonium majus Linn is known to possess a variety of biological activities and applied in the therapy of various infectious diseases.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of the active components from Chelidonium majus against clinical drug-resistant yeast isolates.


METHODS
Active compounds were obtained using bioassay-guided method. Six species of yeast fungi were exposed to the compounds. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined according to the standard broth microdilution method.


RESULTS
Of the six compounds determined, 8-hydroxydihydrosanguinarine (1) and 8-hydroxydihydrochelerythrine (2) demonstrated potent activity with the MIC ranges of 2-80 and 4-100 microg/mL, respectively. Dihydrosanguinarine (3), dihydrochelerythrine (4), sanguinarine (5) and chelerythrine (6) had some degree of antifungal activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall results provided important information for the potential application of the 8-hydroxylated alkaloids from Chelidonium majus in the therapy of serious infection caused by drug-resistant fungi.
Meng
Fanyan
F
Research Center for Natural Medicines, Kunming General Hospital, PLA, 212 Da Guan Road, 650032 Kunming, China.
Zuo
Guoying
G
Hao
Xiaoyan
X
Wang
Genchun
G
Xiao
Haitao
H
Zhang
Jiquan
J
Xu
Guili
G
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053119:Benzophenanthridines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D028281:Chelidonium; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012015:Reference Standards
C517197:8-hydroxydihydrochelerythrine; C517196:8-hydroxydihydrosanguinarine; D000470:Alkaloids; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; D007546:Isoquinolines; D010936:Plant Extracts; C524982:dihydrochelerythrine; C501843:dihydrosanguinarine; C005705:sanguinarine; C016299:chelerythrine