Inhibición de endo-1,3-B-glucanasa fúngica por compuestos fenólicos aislados de Turnera diffusa: una alternativa para antifúngicos convencionales

The fungal enzyme endo-1,3-B-glucanase plays a physiological role in morphogenetic processes during development and differentiation in some fungi. Additionally, this enzyme has been implicated in fungal attack during fungus-plant interactions. Therefore, fungal endo1,3-B-glucanase has been used as a target site for the directed search of antifungal compounds. Using the biodirected isolation of bioactive compounds, two phenolic compounds were isolated from Turnera diffusa stems that inhibited the activity of fungal endo-1,3-B-glucanase. The identified compounds apigenin and luteolin inhibited the activity of the enzyme by 90 and 60%, respectively. Consistent with the inhibitory effect of the fungal enzyme, apigenin at millimolar concentrations was able to completely inhibit the spore germination of Botrytis cinerea . It is inferred that the antifungal action of apigenin is due to its ability to inhibit the fungal endo-1,3-B-glucanase enzyme.