Antifungal Activity of Goniothalamin Enantiomers

A large number of human diseases are caused by fungus and the plant kingdom has proven to be a source of antifungal compounds. This work describes the in vitro activity of the natural product (R)-goniothalamin and its synthetic enantiomer, (S)-goniothalamin, against eleven strains of human pathogenic fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for both enantiomers were lower than 100 μg/mL for nine of the fungus strains studied. MIC values for both enantiomers against isolates of the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides braziliensis were in the range of 7-22 μg/mL. (R)- and (S)- goniothalamin were selective for the fungi strains presenting minimal toxic effects on mammalian kidney (Vero) and lung (V79) cell lines.