Fungal activity

Moustafa and Ahmed reported the synthesis of isoxazoles [92,93]. These compounds are related to pyrazoles except that an oxygen replaces the amine nitrogen. Scheme 49 shows the synthesis of 182 from the corresponding chal-cone 183 by reaction with hydroxylamine. Although these compounds were not tested for cytotoxicity as tubulin binders, they were found to possess antibacterial and anti-fungal activity. 

Arsenic is highly toxic, and indeed much speculation has surrounded arsenic poisoning as the cause of death of Napoleon Bonaparte, on account of the levels of As in the Emperor s hair (perhaps derived from fungal activity on a green pigment present in the wallpaper of his apartments in St. Helena). Arsenic trioxide has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the USA for the treatment of acute promyelocytic anaemia in adult patients who fail to respond to other chemotherapy, or have relapsed disease. 

Coumarin glycosides are found throughout the plant kingdom (Burrows and Tyrl, 2001). Seeds of Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) contain the coumarin esculin, which is a mild neurotoxin. Sweet clovers Melilotus spp.) contain coumarins that are considered harmless unless moldy conditions exist, in which fungal activity produces the double coumarin dicoumarol. Dicoumarol is a... 

In 2003, Sunthitikawinsakul et al. described the anti-mycobacterial activity of various 3-methylcarbazole derivatives, including 3-formylcarbazole (3), methyl carbazole-3-carboxylate (4) (see Scheme 2.2), clausine K (clauszoline-J) (51) (see Scheme 2.11), and 7-methoxymukonal (68) (see Scheme 2.14) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra. Except for clausine K (clauszoline-J) (51), all of these alkaloids also showed anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans (442). In 2005, Eranzblau et al. reported the in vitro anti-TB activity of various carbazole derivatives such as 3-formylcarbazole (3), methyl carbazole-3-carboxylate (4) (see Scheme 2.2), lansine... 

Magan, N., Evans, P. (2000) Volatiles as an indicator of fungal activity and differentiation between species, and the potential use of electronic nose technology for early detection of grain spoilage. J. Stored Prod. Res. 36 319-340. 

Vancoresmycin (125) is a metabolite extacted from the mycelium of an actinomycete strain of the genus Amycolatopsin sp. It exhibited potent activity against gram-positive bacteria, including vancomycin-resistant strains such as Enterococcus spp. [191], but was inactive towards gramnegative bacteria and showed no fungal activity. The plane structure was derived from MS and NMR studies which also revealed the stereochem-... 

Various other biologically active diterpenes have been isolated from plants and are used by man for the treatment of a variety of diseases. The bark of Pinus strobus (Pinaceae), rich in diterpenes, among them manoyl oxide, is used in anticough syrups, whilst traditionally it has been used for the treatment of coughs, colds, congestion, injury, rheumatism and swelling by Indian Americans [26], The antiinflammatory and antimicrobial activity of various diterpenes has been reported [27], as well as anti-fungal activity [28] and remarkable cytotoxic activity for some of them [27,29],... 

Levy, M., Zehavi, U., Naim, M., Polacheck, I. Isolation, structure determination, synthesis, and anti-fungal activity of a new native alfalfa-root saponin. Carbohydr Res 1989 193 115-123. 

Henderson, M. E. K. Duff, R. B. (1963). The release of metallic and silicate ions from minerals, rock, and soils by fungal activity. Journal of Soil Science, 14, 236 6. 

Fungal activities in subaerial rock-inhabiting microbial communities... 

Grattan, R. M. Suberkropp, K. (2001). Effects of nutrient enrichment on yellow poplar leaf decomposition and fungal activity in streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 20, 33 3. 

The squalestatins proved to be potent inhibitors of both mammalian and fungal squalene synthase. Further testing showed a broad spectrum of anti-fungal activity and... 

J.M. Clough and C.R.A. Godfrey, The Strobilurin Fungicides , in Fungal Activity, Eds. E.H. Hutson and J. Miyamoto, John Wiley Sons Ltd, 1998, ppl09-148. 

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