Antifungal activities of matrine and oxymatrine and their synergetic effects with chlorthalonil

Abstract

The EC 50 values of matrine and oxymatrine against five forest pathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum, Valsa pini, Cladosporium oxysporum, Sphaeropsis sapinea, Marssonina brunnea) were examined by bioassay methods. The results demonstrated that matrine and oxymatrine had strong inhibitory activities to the conidium germination of the tested fungi. The EC 50 values of matrine for inhibiting the conidium germination of Marssonina brunnea, Cladosporium oxysporum, Sphaeropsis sapinea were 123 μg·mL -1 , 272 μg·mL -1 , 1133 μg·mL -1 , respectively, and the EC 50 values of oxymatrine for inhibiting the conidium germination of Fusarium oxysporum, Sphaeropsis sapinea were 532 μg·mL -1 , 601 μg·mL -1 , respectively. The hyphal growth of the fungi was also significantly inhibited by matrine and oxymatrine. The EC 50 values of matrine inhibiting the conidium germination of Sphaeropsis sapinea, Valsa pini, Fusarium oxysporum were 428 μg·mL -1 , 535 μg·mL -1 , 592 μg·mL -1 , respectively. The EC 50 values of oxymatrine inhibiting the conidium germination of Valsa pini, Fusarium oxysporum were 323, 618 μg·mL -1 , respectively. In the synergetic tests the EC 50 values of the mixtures of thiophanate methyl (or chlorthalonil) and matrine (or oxymatrine) were lower than 34 μg·mL -1 while their co-toxicity coefficients were significantly higher than 100. It indicated that the mixture of the alkaloids and the chemical had potential practical utilization in controlling certain forest fungal diseases.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro biological evaluation of two matrine derivatives

“…Matrine has also been used as an important traditional botanical pesticide 15 , due to its wide range of insecticidal activities, anti-plant virus activity and fungicidal activity in the agricultural field, and being friendly to natural environment 16 , 17 . More recently, matrine has been used in isolated form or in mixtures with other botanical extracts and synthetic pesticides for the control of termites, aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars and mites, fungal and bacterial diseases and nematodes in areas of production of vegetables, fruits, flowers and teas in China 15 , 16 , 18 – 20 as well as in the management of pests of stored grains 21 . Now, matrine has also been commercialized as a broad spectrum insecticide (named as Kudun); however, their insecticidal activities were two orders of magnitude lower than the world’s most popular pesticides discovered by the international pesticide companies in the last ten years.…”

Matrine reduces yeast-to-hypha transition and resistance of a fluconazole-resistant strain of Candida albicans

“…) functions, etc. Although matrine and its derivative oxymatrine were observed to be effective against pathogenic forest fungi (Yang and Zhao ), anti‐ Candidal potential of matrine has not been reported.…”

In vitro antifungal activity of baicalin against Candida albicans biofilms via apoptotic induction

“…matrine [39], oxymatrine [40], gallic acid [41]), but usually owned nice in vivo antifungal functions (e.g. sodium houttuyfonate [42], baicalein [43]).…”