Current Research and New Perspectives in Antifungal Drug Development.

In recent times, fungi are becoming more and more active as causal agents of human infections, which is primarily determined by the growing number of people with severe immunosuppression. Thus, the problems of elucidating the mechanisms of action of antifungal preparations, highlighting ways to obtain resistance to their action and research strategies aimed at discovering new compounds with antifungal properties remain the focus of contemporary biomedicine and pharmaceutics. This paper reviews the recent achievements in antifungal drug development and focuses on new natural antifungal remedies with a noticeable effect on pathogens with minimal adverse effects on the host organism.

The Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Medicinal Plants on Fungi Isolated From Toilet and Nursery Surfaces in a Daycare Center: An In Vitro Study.

Background Brazil has the most extensive plant genetic biodiversity in the world. Knowledge regarding the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants obtained through popular medicine has been accrued over centuries. Such empirical knowledge often symbolizes the only therapeutic resource for various ethnic communities and groups. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of hydroalcoholic extracts of medicinal plants in controlling isolated fungi found in bathrooms and nurseries of a daycare center in the northwestern region of São Paulo state. Methodology This is an in vitro study carried out in the microbiology laboratory. The analyzed fungi were Aspergillus niger, Fusarium spp., Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, and Candida albicans. These fungi were exposed to the hydroalcoholic extracts of rosemary, citronella, rue, neem, and lemon. Results Rue extract was more effective against Candida albicans at a concentration of 12.5%. Citronella was effective against Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton mentagrophytes at a concentration of 6.25%. Lemon was effective against Fusarium spp. at a concentration of 6.25%. Conclusions The hydroalcoholic extracts showed antifungal activity. The in vitro evaluation of medicinal plants showed that the extracts of rue, citronella, and lemon showed a fungicide effect.

Bryo-Activities: A Review on How Bryophytes Are Contributing to the Arsenal of Natural Bioactive Compounds against Fungi.

Usually regarded as less evolved than their more recently diverged vascular sisters, which currently dominate vegetation landscape, bryophytes seem having nothing to envy to the defensive arsenal of other plants, since they had acquired a suite of chemical traits that allowed them to adapt and persist on land. In fact, these closest modern relatives of the ancestors to the earliest terrestrial plants proved to be marvelous chemists, as they traditionally were a popular remedy among tribal people all over the world, that exploit their pharmacological properties to cure the most different diseases. The phytochemistry of bryophytes exhibits a stunning assortment of biologically active compounds such as lipids, proteins, steroids, organic acids, alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic compounds, polyphenols, terpenoids, acetogenins and phenylquinones, thus it is not surprising that substances obtained from various species belonging to such ancestral plants are widely employed as antitumor, antipyretic, insecticidal and antimicrobial. This review explores in particular the antifungal potential of the three Bryophyta divisions-mosses (Musci), hornworts (Anthocerotae) and liverworts (Hepaticae)-to be used as a sources of interesting bioactive constituents for both pharmaceutical and agricultural areas, providing an updated overview of the latest relevant insights.

Chemical Composition and Combinatory Antifungal Activities of Ammoides verticillata, Allium sativum and Curcuma longa Essential Oils Against Four Fungi Responsible for Tomato Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Tomato is considered a model plant in genetics and is one of the most economically important crops of all those that exist in the world. Several species of fungi are reported on tomato fruit, causing damage both during cultivation and after harvest. Some of the appropriate actions that could be initiated to resolve the problem are to develop and search for new antimicrobial substances isolated from the bioactive natural products, such as essential oils. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to determine the chemical composition of essential oils of Ammoides verticillata, Allium sativum and Curcuma longa, to evaluate their in-vitro antifungal activities and in-vivo antifungal effect of essential oils to prevent the diseases caused by tomato. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The essential oils obtained from aerial parts of plants were analyzed by GC/MS and tested for their antifungal activities against Penicillium expansum, Fusarium solani, Rhizopus stolonifer and Alternaria alternata using the radial growth technique method. The effectiveness in-vivo of the association between Allium sativum and Curcuma longa essential oils was also investigated on tomatoes inoculated by fungi. RESULTS: The essential oil from A. verticilata was mainly composed of phenolic compounds (54.4%), the A. sativum oil was mainly composed of sulfur compounds (91.5%) and C. longa oil was dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (82.0%). The obtained results in-vitro antifungal revealed that individual essential oils of A. verticillata and A. sativum were more active than the essential oil of C. longa against all screened microorganisms. An important antifungal effect of A. sativum and C. longa essential oils blend was obtained against P. expansum (100%), F. solani (95.2%), R. stolonifer (95.1%) and A. alternata (48.5%). Furthermore, A. sativum and C. longa essential oils blends have demonstrated promising in-vivo antifungal activity to control infection of tomato against P. expansum and R. stolonifer. CONCLUSION: A. sativum and C. longa essential oil blends can be used as a natural food preservative and alternative to chemical fungicides to protect stored tomato against many phytopathogens.

Ação do óleo essencial de Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry sobre as hifas de alguns fungos fitopatogênicos / Action of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry essential oil on the hyphae of some phytopathogenic fungi

Atualmente o uso de métodos alternativos para o controle de doenças e pragas na agricultura, visando minimizar os danos ao meio ambiente e à saúde pública é uma prática reconhecida e necessária. Este trabalho objetivou investigar a ação do óleo essencial de Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry sobre o crescimento micelial in vitro dos fungos fitopatogênicos Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum e Macrophomina phaseolina. A análise por cromatografia gasosa acoplada com espectrometria de massa possibilitou a identificação de eugenol (83,6 por cento), acetato de eugenila (11,6 por cento) e cariofileno (4,2 por cento). A avaliação microscópica dos micélios dos fungos evidenciou diversas alterações morfológicas, como a presença de vacúolos, desorganização dos conteúdos celulares, diminuição na nitidez da parede celular, intensa fragmentação e menor turgência das hifas. O óleo essencial de cravo apresentou atividade fungicida na concentração de 0,15 por cento sobre o crescimento de R. solani, F. oxysporum e F. solani, entretanto não demonstrou essa atividade sobre M. phaseolina. Esses resultados indicam perspectivas favoráveis para posterior uso do óleo de cravo no controle desses fitopatógenos na agricultura.

Currently, the use of alternative methods to control diseases and pests in agriculture has been a recognized and necessary practice to minimize damages to the environment and public health. This study aimed to investigate the action of clove [Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry] essential oil on the in vitro mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum and Macrophomina phaseolina. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed the identification of eugenol (83.6 percent), eugenyl acetate (11.6 percent) and caryophyllene (4.2 percent). Microscopic evaluation of mycelia showed several morphological changes such as presence of vacuoles, cell content disorganization, decreased cell wall clearness, intense fragmentation and lower turgescence of hyphae. Clove essential oil showed fungicidal activity at 0.15 percent on the growth of R. solani, F. oxysporum and F. solani, but not for M. phaseolina. These results indicate favorable perspectives for future use of clove essential oil to control these phytopathogens in agriculture.