Planta Med 2012; 78 - PF57
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1320604

Cistus ladanifer as a source of phenolic compounds with antifungal activity

L Barros 1, 2, M Dueñas 2, CT Alves 3, S Silva 3, M Henriques 3, C Santos-Buelga 2, ICFR Ferreira 1
  • 1CIMO-ESA Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal
  • 2GIP Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Spain
  • 3IBB Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

A screening of the antifungal potential of phenolic extract of Cistus ladanifer from Northeast Portugal, against Candida species was performed. The extract was characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. Phenolic acids and derivatives, ellagic acid derivatives and flavonoids, such as catechins, flavonols and flavones, were found in the sample. The most abundant group was ellagic acid derivatives in which punicalagin gallate, a derivative of punicalagin attached to gallic acid, was found in highest amount. These compounds could be related to the strong inhibition of C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis growth. Moreover, the best antifungal activity was against C. glabrata, where the studied extract was able to cause at least 3 Log of reduction at concentrations below 50µg/mL and a total growth inhibition at concentrations above 625µg/mL.