title: Relevant and selective activity of Pancratium illyricum L. against Candida albicans clinical isolates: a combined effect on yeast growth and virulence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alkaloids present in plants of the Amaryllidaceae family are secondary metabolites of high biological interest, possessing a wide range of pharmacological activities. In the search for new plant-derived compounds with antimicrobial activities, two alkaloid extracts obtained from bulbs and leaves of Pancratium illyricum L., a plant of the Amarillydaceae family, were tested for their effect on bacterial and yeast growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  The broth microdilution susceptibility test was applied to study the effect of plant extracts on the growth of reference bacterial strains and Candida albicans reference and clinical isolates strains. Extracts obtained from the different parts of the plant were tested and compared with the pure components identified in the extracts. Since matrix metalloproteinase enzymes play a role in the dissemination process of Candida albicans, the effect of the bulb extract and pure alkaloids on in vitro collagenase activity was tested. Cell viability test was carried out on human embryo lung fibroblasts (HEL 299).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whilst both extracts did not show any inhibitory activity against neither Gram positive nor Gram negative bacteria, a strong antifungal activity was detected, in particular for the bulb extract. All clinical isolates were susceptible to the growth inhibitory activity of the bulb extract, with endpoint IC50 values ranging from 1.22 to 78 μg/mL. The pure alkaloids lycorine and vittatine, identified as components of the extract, were also assayed for their capacity of inhibiting the yeast growth, and lycorine turned very active, with endpoint IC50 values ranging from 0.89 to 28.5 μg/mL. A potent inhibition of the in vitro collagenase activity was found in the presence of the bulb extract, and this effect was much higher than that exerted by the pure alkaloids. Viability of cell lines tested was not affected by the extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, results suggest that the extract of Pancratium illyricum may act as antifungal agent both directly on the yeast growth and by altering the tissue invasion process.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonvicini
authors.affiliation: Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Corso Augusto, 237, 47921 Rimini, Italy. fabiana.antognoni@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antognoni
authors.forename: Carmelina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iannello
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maxia
authors.forename: Ferruccio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: Giovanna Angela
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gentilomi
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D019668:Liliaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts