A total synthesis of the epoxyquinone based antifungal natural product (±)-ambuic acid

A total synthesis of the recently isolated polyketide natural product (+/-)-ambuic acid has been accomplished from the readily available Diels-Alder adduct of cyclopentadiene and 2-allyl-p-benzoquinone through a simple sequence with sound stereocontrol. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biogenic nanosilver incorporated reverse osmosis membrane for antibacterial and antifungal activities against selected pathogenic strains: An enhanced eco-friendly water disinfection approach

Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes have been used extensively in water desalination plants, waste water treatment in industries, agricultural farms and drinking water production applications. The objective of this work is to impart antibacterial and antifungal activities to commercially available RO membrane used in water purification systems by incorporating biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Rosa indica wichuriana hybrid leaf extract. The morphology and surface topography of uncoated and AgNPs-coated RO membrane were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Elemental composition of the AgNPs-coated RO membrane was analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The functional groups were identified by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Hydrophilicity of the uncoated and AgNPs-coated RO membrane was analyzed using water contact angle measurements. The thermal properties were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The AgNPs incorporated RO membrane exhibited good antibacterial and antifungal activities against pathogenic bacterial strains such as E. coli, S. aureus, M. luteus, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa and fungal strains such as Candida tropicalis, C. krusei, C. glabrata, and C. albicans.

Antifungal Activity of Quaternized Carboxymethyl Chitosan

Quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan (QCMC) were synthesized and their antifungal activities against Alternaria Solani (A. Solani) and Physalospora piricola Nose (P. piricola Nose) were investigated. The results indicated that the quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan derivatives had better inhibitory effects than CMC, and the antifungal activities should be affected by the cation in these compounds.

Preparation, characterization and antifungal properties of 2-(alpha-arylamino phosphonate)-chitosan

In this paper, 20 kinds of different 2-(alpha-arylamino phosphonate)-chitosan (2-alpha-AAPCS) were prepared by different Schiff bases of chitosan (CS) reacted with di-alkyl phosphite in benzene solution. The structures of the derivatives (2-alpha-AAPCS) were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. In addition, the antifungal activities of the derivatives against four kinds of fungi were evaluated in the experiment. The results indicated that all the prepared 2-alpha-AAPCS had a significant inhibiting effect on the investigated fungi when the derivatives concentration ranged from 50 to 500 mu g mL(-1). Furthermore, the antifungal activities of the derivatives increased with increasing the molecular weight and concentration. And the antifungal activities of the derivatives were affected by their dimensional effect and charge density. Besides, the rule and mechanism of the antifungal activities of them were discussed in this paper. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antifungal properties of Schiff bases of chitosan, N-substituted chitosan and quaternized chitosan

Schiff bases of chitosan, N-substituted chitosan, and quaternized chitosan were synthesized and their antifungal properties were analyzed against Botrytis cinerea Pers. (B. cinerea pers.) and Colletotrichum lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst (C. lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst) based on the method of D. Jasso de Rodriguez and co-workers. The results showed that quaternized chitosan had better inhibitory properties than chitosan, Schiff bases of chitosan, and N-substituted chitosan. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of molecular weight of quaternized chitosan on antifungal activity

Quaternized chitosan derivatives with different molecular weights were synthesized in the laboratory. Subsequent experiments were conducted to test their antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea Pers. (B. cinerea pers.) and Colletotrichum lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst (C. lagenarium (Pass) EII.et halst). Our results indicate that quaternized chitosan derivatives have stronger antifungal activities than chitosan. Furthermore, quaternized chitosan derivatives with high molecular weight are shown to have even stronger antifungal activities than those with low molecular weight. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The influence of the cationic of quaternized chitosan on antifungal activity

Quatemized chitosan: N-(2-hydroxyl-phenyl)-NN-dimethyl chitosan (NHPDCS), N-(5-chloro-2-hydroxyl-phenyl)-NN-dimethyl chitosan (NCHPDCS), N-(2-hydroxyl-5-nitro-phenyl)-NN-dimethyl chitosan (NHNPDCS) and N-(5-bromic-2-hydroxyl-phenyl)-NN-dimethyI chitosan (NBHPDCS) were synthesized and their antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea Pers. (B. cinerea Pers.) and Colletotrichum lagenarium (Pass) Ell.et halst (C. lagenarium (Pass) Ellet halst) were investigated. The results indicated that the quaternized chitosan derivatives had better inhibitory effects than chitosan, and the antifungal activities should be affected by the cation in these compounds. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and antifungal properties of sulfanilamide derivatives of chitosan

Sulfanilamide derivatives of chitosan (2-(4-acetamido-2-sulfanimide)-chitosan (HSACS, LSACS), 2-(4-acetamido-2-sulfanimide)-6-sulfo-chitosan (HSACSS, LSACSS) and 2-(4-acetamido-2-sulfanimide)-6-carboxymethyl-chitosan (HSACMCS, LSACMCS)) were prepared using different molecular weights of chitosan (CS), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and chitosan sulfates (CSS) reacted with 4-acetamidobenzene sulfonyl chloride in dimethylsulfoxide solution. The structures of the derivatives were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, which showed that the substitution degree of sulfanilamide group of HSACS, HSACSS, HSACMCS, LSACS, LSACSS and LSACMCS were 0.623, 0.492, 0.515, 0.576, 0.463 and 0.477, respectively. The solubility of the derivatives (pH < 7.5) was higher than that of chitosan (pH < 6.5). The antifungal activities of the derivatives against Aiternaria solani and Phomopsis asparagi were evaluated based on the method of Jasso et al. in the experiment. The results indicated that all the prepared sulfanilamide derivatives had a significant inhibiting effect on the investigated fungi in the polymer concentration range from 50 to 500 mu g mL(-1). The antifungal activities of the derivatives increased with increasing the molecular weight, concentration or the substitution degree. The sulfanilamide derivatives of CS, CMCS and CSS show stronger antifungal activities than CS, CMCS and CSS. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel derivatives of chitosan and their antifungal activities in vitro

Three kinds of Schiff bases of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCTS) were prepared, and their antifungal activities were assessed according to Jasso de Rodriguez's method. The results indicated that 2-(2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-6-carboxymethylchitosan (HNCMCTS) and 2-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-6-carboxymethylchitosan (HCCMCTS) had better inhibitory effects than those of chitosan or CMCTS against Fusarium oxysporium f. sp. vasinfectum, Alternaria solani, and Valsa mali. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and QSAR studies of novel triazole compounds containing thioamide as potential antifungal agents

Eighteen novel triazole compounds containing thioamide were designed and synthesized. Their structures were confirmed by elemental analysis, H-1 NMR, IR, and MS. The title compounds exhibited certain antifungal activity. And the geometry structures of the title compounds were optimized by means of the density functional theory (DFT) method at B3LYP/6-31G* level. The quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of the title compounds was systematically investigated. A correlative equation between FA and DELH, V was well established by using the multiple linear regression (MLR). (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

“Green preservatives” – combating fungi in the food industry by applying antifungal lactic acid bacteria

Fungal spoilage is the most common type of microbial spoilage in food leading to significant economical and health problems throughout the world. Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is one of the oldest and most economical methods of producing and preserving food. Thus, LAB can be seen as an interesting tool in the development of novel bio-preservatives for food industry. The overall objective of this study was to demonstrate, that LAB can be used as a natural way to improve the shelf-life and safety of a wide range of food products. In the first part of the thesis, 116 LAB isolates were screened for their antifungal activity against four Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. commonly found in food. Approximately 83% of them showed antifungal activity, but only 1% showed a broad range antifungal activity against all tested fungi. The second approach was to apply LAB antifungal strains in production of food products with extended shelf-life. L. reuteri R29 strain was identified as having strong antifungal activity in vitro, as well as in sourdough bread against Aspergillus niger, Fusarium culmorum and Penicillium expansum. The ability of the strain to produce bread of good quality was also determined using standard baking tests. Another strain, L. amylovorus DSM19280, was also identified as having strong antifungal activity in vitro and in vivo. The strain was used as an adjunct culture in a Cheddar cheese model system and demonstrated the inhibition of P. expansum. Significantly, its presence had no detectable negative impact on cheese quality as determined by analysis of moisture, salt, pH, and primary and secondary proteolysis. L. brevis PS1 a further strain identified during the screening as very antifungal, showed activity in vitro against common Fusarium spp. and was used in the production of a novel functional wortbased alcohol-free beverage. Challenge tests performed with F. culmorum confirmed the effectiveness of the antifungal strain in vivo. The shelf-life of the beverage was extended significantly when compared to not inoculated wort sample. A range of antifungal compounds were identified for the 4 LAB strains, namely L. reuteri ee1p, L. reuteri R29, L. brevis PS1 and L. amylovorous DSM20531. The identification of the compounds was based on liquid chromatography interfaced to the mass spectrometer and PDA detector

Food preservation using antifungal lactic acid bacteria

Fungal spoilage of food and feed prevails as a major problem for the food industry. The use antifungal-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) may represent a safer, natural alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in foods. A large scale screen was undertaken to identify a variety of LAB with antifungal properties from plant, animal and human sources. A total of 6,720 LAB colonies were isolated and screened for antifungal activity against the indicator Penicillium expansum. 94 broad-spectrum producers were identified through 16S rRNA sequencing with the majority of the population comprising Lactobacillus plantarum isolates. Six broad-spectrum isolates were consequently characterised. Pedicococcus pentosaceous 54 displayed potent anti-mould capabilities in pear, plum and grape models and may represent an ideal candidate for use in the beverage industry. Two antifungal Lb. plantarum isolates were assessed for their technological robustness and potential as biopreservatives in refrigerated foods. Lb. plantarum 16 and 62 displayed high levels of tolerance to freeze-drying, low temperature exposure and high salt concentrations. Both lactobacilli were introduced as supplements into orange juice to retard the growth of the spoilage yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Furthermore the isolates were applied as adjuncts in yoghurt production to successfully reduce yeast growth. Lb. plantarum 16 proved to be the optimal inhibitor of yeast growth in both food matrices. To date there is limited information available describing the mechanisms behind fungal inhibition by LAB. The effects of concentrated cell-free supernatant (cCFS), derived from Lb. plantarum 16, on the growth of two food-associated moulds was assessed microscopically. cCFS completely inhibited spore, germ tube and hyphal development. A transcriptomic approach was undertaken to determine the impact of antifungal activity on Aspergillus fumigatus Af293. A variety of genes, most notably those involved in cellular metabolism, were found to have their transcription modulated in response to cCFS which is indicative of global cellular shutdown. This study provides the first insights into the molecular targets of antifungal compounds produced by LAB. The genome sequence of the steep water isolate Lb. plantarum 16 was determined. The complete genome of Lb. plantarum16 consists of a single circular chromosome of 3,044,738 base pairs with an average G+C content of 44.74 % in addition to eight plasmids. The genome represents the smallest of this species to date while harbouring the largest plasmid complement. Some features of particular interest include the presence of two prophages, an interrupted plantaricin cluster and a chromosomal and plasmid encoded polysaccharide cluster. The sequence presented here provides a suitable platform for future studies elucidating the mechanisms governing antifungal production.

Isolation and characterisation of antifungal compounds from lactic acid bacteria and their application in wheat and gluten-free bread

As part of the “free-from” trend, biopreservation for bread products has increasingly become important to prevent spoilage since artificial preservatives are more and more rejected by consumers. A literature review conducted as part of this thesis revealed that the evaluation of more suitable antifungal strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is important. Moreover, increasing the knowledge about the origin of the antifungal effect is fundamental for further enhancement of biopreservation. This thesis addresses the investigation of Lactobacillus amylovorus DSM19280, Lb. brevis R2: and Lb. reuteri R29 for biopreservation using in vitro trials and in situ sourdough fermentations of quinoa, rice and wheat flours as biopreservatives in breads. Their contribution to quality and shelf life extension on bread was compared and related to their metabolic activity and substrate features. Moreover, the quantity of antifungal carboxylic acids produced during sourdough fermentation was analysed. Overall a specific profile of antifungal compounds was found in the sourdough samples which were strain and substrate dependently different. The best preservative effect in quinoa sourdough and wheat sourdough bread was achieved when Lb. amylovorus DSM19280 fermented sourdough was used. However, the concentration of the antifungal compounds found in these biopreservatives were much lower when compared with Lb. reuteri R29 as the highest producer. Nevertheless, the artificial application of the highest concentration of these antifungal compounds in chemically acidified wheat sourdough bread succeeded in a longer shelf life than achieved only by acidifying the dough. This evidences their partial contribution to the antifungal activity and their synergy. Additionally, a HRGC/MS method for the identification and quantification of the antifungal active compounds cyclo(Leu-Pro), cyclo(Pro-Pro), cyclo(Met-Pro) and cyclo(Phe-Pro) was successfully developed by using stable isotope dilutions assays with the deuterated counterparts. It was observed that the concentrations of cyclo(Leu-Pro), cyclo(Pro-Pro), and cyclo(Phe-Pro) increased only moderately in MRS-broth and wort fermentation by the activity of the selected microorganism, whereas the concentration of cyclo(Met-Pro) stayed unchanged.