Antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol congeners against wood-rot fungi

Bioresour Technol. 2008 Jul;99(11):5145-9. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.09.013. Epub 2007 Oct 22.

Abstract

In this study, the antifungal activities of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol congeners against white-rot fungus Lenzites betulina and brown-rot fungus Laetiporus sulphureus were evaluated and the relationships between the antifungal activity and the chemical structures were also examined. Results from antifungal tests revealed that cinnamaldehyde, alpha-methyl cinnamaldehyde, (E)-2-methylcinnamic acid, eugenol and isoeugenol exhibited strong antifungal activity against all fungi tested. Results derived from the chemical structure-antifungal activity relationship study suggested that compounds with an aldehyde group or an acid group, a conjugated double bond and a length of CH chain outside the ring affect their antifungal properties. Furthermore, the presence of the methyl moiety in the ortho position may have a considerable influence on the inhibitory action against L. betulina and L. sulphureus. In addition, the lipophilicity may play, in part, a crucial role in determining the toxicity of phenylpropenes.

MeSH terms

  • Acrolein / analogs & derivatives*
  • Acrolein / pharmacology
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Eugenol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Eugenol / pharmacology
  • Fungi / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*
  • Wood / drug effects
  • Wood / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Eugenol
  • isoeugenol
  • Acrolein
  • cinnamaldehyde