The cyclic organosulfur compound zwiebelane A from onion (Allium cepa) functions as an enhancer of polymyxin B in fungal vacuole disruption.

Zwiebelane A (CIS-2,3-dimethyl-5,6-dithiabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane 5-oxide), a natural product of onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.), is found to enhance the potential fungicidal activity of polymyxin B (PMB). As is the case with allicin, an allyl sulfur compound from garlic, zwiebelane A amplifies the disruptive effect of PMB on the vacuole of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has been found to represent a target for antifungal agents.

Synergistic fungicidal activities of polymyxin B and ionophores, and their dependence on direct disruptive action of polymyxin B on fungal vacuole.

Polymyxin B (PMB) acts selectively on Gram-negative bacteria by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with anionic cell envelope components such as phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides. In this study, PMB was shown to exhibit marked fungicidal activity against yeasts and filamentous fungi in combination with ionophores such as salinomycin (SAM) and monensin (MON), which can selectively interact with monovalent cations. Ca(2+)-selective ionophores, A23187 and ionomycin, were absolutely ineffective in enhancing the fungicidal activity of PMB. SAM and MON increased the rate of cellular uptake of PMB possibly in favor of its intracellular action on the organelle. PMB could indeed directly disrupt the spherical membrane-enclosed architecture of the isolated vacuoles equally in the absence and presence of the ionophores. The loss of energy barrier for transmembrane transport of monovalent cations is considered to be a cause of enhanced incorporation of larger cationic compounds such as PMB across fungal plasma membrane.