Antifungal activity, phenolics

Finally, there were recently isolated an optically active phenolic compound, dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (2,3-dihydro-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropenyl) - 7-methoxy - 3-benzofuranyl-methanol) (70),192 and a complex 2,3-dihydro-2-phenylbenzofuran, hordanatin A, an antifungal factor 193 it has recently been synthesized,194 and may play a part in the lignification process. 

Samata, A.K., Ray, S.K, Basak, S.C. and Bose, S.K. (1982) Molecular connectivity and antifungal activity. A quantitative structure-activity relationship study of substituted phenols against... 

Toxicity seems to be an important attribute of phenols in plants. Essentially, every phenolic compound has some antimicrobial and antifungal activity (Jenkins et al., 1957 Walker, 1975). Antibiotic, antiviral, anticellular, antineoplastic, and related effects of tannins, mostly in vitroy have been reported by several researchers (Alexander, 1965 Herz and Kaplan, 1968 Kreber and Einhellig, 1972 Konowalchuk and Speirs, 1976 Chan et al., 1978 Loub et al., 1973 DeOliveira et al., 1972). 

Detailed analyses of the change in antifungal activity with chemical modification have appeared.3°>39 Naphthlomate-N is very active, but the other three naphthalene isomer combinations are inert. Various substituted phenols may be used in place of the p-naphthol moiety. Of the N-methyl (essential for activity) anilines tried, hydrogen, methyl, methoxyl, and halogen containing compounds were active whereas nltro, di-methylamino, carboxyl, etc., derivatives were inactive. The carbamates still retained some activity but other variations of the thiocarbamate system, such as the dithiocarbamate derivatives, were devoid of antifungal action. 

Chlorophenol which is easily synthesized by chlorination of phenol (7.1) in the cold exhibits considerable antibacterial and antifungal activity. However, these properties are practically of no avail in consideration of the high toxicity and the strong adhering odour of the substance. 

The condensation of phenol (7.1.) with 1 mol acetone leads to the Bisphenol A which has little interest as a mi-crobicide. Its antifungal activity is not very distinctive the antibacterial efficacy is not worth a mention. 

Lattanzio V, De Cicco V, Di Venere D, Lima G, Salerno M. Antifungal activity of phenolics against fungi commonly encountered during storage. Ital J Pood Sci 1994 6 23-30. 

In this review we have discussed published results concerning the QSAR research on antimicrobial properties of synthetic and natural compounds. Antifungal and antimicrobial activity of some coumarin derivatives, various types of biological activities of benzamides, several studies on cinnamic acid derivatives with antibacterial and antifungal activity, reports on the biological activity of homoisoflavanones and phenolic compounds, as well as pharmaceutical applications of furan derivatives have been shown. 

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