Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis and Biological Assessment of p-Coumarate Fatty Esters: New Antifungal Agents for Potential Plant Protection

Abstract

One trend in agriculture is the replacement of classical pesticides with more ecofriendly solutions, such as elicitation, which is a promising approach consisting of stimulating the natural immune system of a plant to improve its resistance to pathogens. In this fashion, a library of p-coumaric-based compounds were synthesized in accordance with as many principles of green chemistry as possible. Then, these molecules were tested for (1) the direct inhibition of mycelium growth of two pathogens, Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and (2) plasma membrane destabilization in Arabidopsis and rapeseed. Finally, the protective effect was evaluated on an Arabidopsis/B. cinerea pathosystem. Total inhibition of the growth of both fungi could be achieved, and significant ion leakage was observed using dihydroxylated fatty p-coumarate esters. A direct effect on plants was also recorded as a ca. three-fold reduction in the necrosis area.

Extractives from Artemisia afra with Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal Properties

“…This compound showed no activity against other tested microbes and insignificant activity with C. albicans. From previous studies, compound C showed inhibition of mycelium growth of two pathogens, Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum [50]. Dodecyl-p-coumarate also displayed high leishmanicidal activity (16.34 ± 0.49, Leishmania braziliensis amastigotes, EC 50 µg/mL), likely due to their relatively high lipophilicity and antiplasmodial activity (81.19 ± 8.54 Plasmodium falciparum, EC 50 µg/mL) [51].…”