Phytochemical analysis and antifungal evaluation of Sebastiana commersoniana extracts

HNATYSZYN O; JUAREZ S; OUVIÑA A; MARTINO V; ZACCHINO S; FERRARO G

PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY

Año: 2007 vol. 45 p. 1 - 3

1388-0209

The 50% ethanol extract from Sebastiania commersoniana (Baill.) L.B. Sm. & B.J. (Euphorbiaceae), a South American medicinal plant locally used as external antiseptic, was submitted to a phytochemical study and to the deter­mination of its in vitro antifungal activity. After frac­tionation of the extract; four flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, isoquercitrin), four phenolic derivatives (gallicin, gallic, syringic, and caffeic acids), and a coumarin (scopoletin) were identified. The structures of isolated compounds were established by spectroscopic methods and confirmed by comparison with reference samples and literature data. The extract exhibited significant antifungal activity against the dermatophytes Micro­sporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum.     Keywords: Antifungal activity, isolated compounds, plant extracts, Sebastiania commersoniana.