Antifungal potential of punicalagin against Cryptococcus neoformans species complex

Abstract

This study evaluated the antifungal activity and cytotoxicity profile of the ellagitannin punicalagin, a compound extracted from the L. pacari A. St.-Hil (Lythraceae) leaf, against Cryptococcus neoformans species complex. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were checked using the broth microdilution method. Minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) and time of death were used to confirm the antifungal activity of the compound. The in vitro cytotoxicity of punicalagin was tested in BALB/c3T3 fibroblasts and A549 human lung cancer cell line, while the hemolytic potential was tested on sheep erythrocytes. The morphological changes induced in yeast strains by the presence of punicalagin were also analyzed. Tested on eight isolates of the C. neoformans complex punicalagin showed MIC of 0.5 to 4.0 μg/mL and MFC> 256 μg/mL. Punicalagin also demonstrated a good growth inhibitory activity in time-kill curves, but it was not able to achieve a statistically significant reduction of fungal growth suggesting a fungistatic effect of the compound. In vitro cytotoxicity studies using the two cell lines showed that punicalagin has low activity on these cells and no activity on sheep erythrocytes. Morphological changes were seen in the yeasts strains studied when treated with punicalagin. Therefore, punicalagin is a potential antifungal for important pathogenic yeasts and presents a low cytotoxicity profile associated with no hemolytic effects.

Antifungal activity of Punicalagin–nystatin combinations against Candida albicans

“…PCG alone resulted in high levels of toxicity on HPEC. Indeed, HPEC have shown greater sensitivity to compounds than HGF (Pace & Elliott, 1962); and PCG has shown dose‐dependent toxicity on murine fibroblasts, human alveolar epithelium, and sheep erythrocytes, while on human lung carcinoma A549 cells and 3T3 fibroblast cells a low toxic activity (Silva et al., 2018).…”

Plant Phytochemicals in Food Preservation: Antifungal Bioactivity: A Review

“…This compound could be used to combat tomato wilt because it has antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum (78). Punicalagin also displays good antifungal activity against Candida parapsilosis (MIC of 6.25 μg/mL), Candida krusei (MIC of 6.25 μg/mL), Candida albicans (MIC of 12.5 μg/mL) (50), and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC of 0.5 to 4 μg/mL) (82). Currently, this pomegranate peel extract, which contains catechin and rutin (flavonoids) in addition to the major compound punicalagin, has been used to inhibit Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a fungus that infects Persea americana (avocado tree).…”

Antifungal activity of liriodenine on clinical strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes

“…Punicalagin, a hydrosoluble tannin extracted from Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil (Lythraceae), presented a fungistatic effect on fungi of the C. neoformans complex, with MICs ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 µg.mL -1 , which are values lower than those observed in the present study. However, its fungicidal activity was demonstrated at 256 µg.mL -1 [ 37 ].…”