Antifungal Saponins from the Maya Medicinal Plant Cestrum schlechtendahlii G. Don (Solanaceae)

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2016-03, Vol.30 (3), p.439-446
• Main Authors: Ta, Chieu Anh Kim, Guerrero‐Analco, J. Antonio, Roberts, Elizabeth, Liu, Rui, Mogg, Christopher D, Saleem, Ammar, Otárola‐Rojas, Marco, Poveda, Luis, Sanchez‐Vindas, Pablo, Cal, Victor, Caal, Federico, Subramaniam, Rajagopal, Smith, Myron L, Arnason, John T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antifungal; Antifungal Agents - chemistry; Antifungal Agents - isolation & purification; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; antifungal properties; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - drug effects; Cestrum; Cestrum - chemistry; Cestrum schlechtendahlii; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcus neoformans - drug effects; ethanol; Ethnic Groups; fractionation; Fungi - drug effects; Fusarium - drug effects; Fusarium graminearum; growth retardation; Humans; leaves; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; medicinal plants; Medicine, Traditional; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; minimum inhibitory concentration; Molecular Structure; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plants, Medicinal; Q'eqchi' Maya; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; saponin; saponins; Saponins - chemistry; Saponins - isolation & purification; Saponins - pharmacology; Solanaceae; Spirostans - chemistry; Spirostans - isolation & purification; Spirostans - pharmacology; traditional medicine
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5545

Bioassay‐guided fractionation of the crude extract (80% EtOH) of the leaves of Cestrum schlechtendahlii, a plant used by Q'eqchi' Maya healers for treatment of athlete's foot, resulted in the isolation and identification of two spirostanol saponins (1 and 2). Structure elucidation by MS, 1D‐NMR, and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic methods identified them to be the known saponin (25R)‐1β,2α‐dihydroxy‐5α‐spirostan‐3‐β‐yl‐O‐α‐l‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐β‐d‐galactopyranoside (1) and new saponin (25R)‐1β,2α‐dihydroxy‐5α‐spirostan‐3‐β‐yl‐O‐β‐d‐galactopyranoside (2). While 2 showed little or no antifungal activity at the highest concentration tested, 1 inhibited growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 15–25 μM), Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Fusarium graminearum (MIC of 132–198 μM). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.