%0 Journal Article
%T Antifungal Effect of (+)-Pinoresinol Isolated from Sambucus williamsii
%A Bomi Hwang
%A Juneyoung Lee
%A Qing-He Liu
%A Eun-Rhan Woo
%A Dong Gun Lee
%J Molecules
%D 2010
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/molecules15053507
%X In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity and mechanism of action of (+)-pinoresinol, a biphenolic compound isolated from the herb Sambucus williamsii,used in traditional medicine. (+)-Pinoresinol displays potent antifungal properties without hemolytic effects on human erythrocytes. To understand the antifungal mechanism of (+)-pinoresinol, we conducted fluorescence experiments on the human pathogen Candida albicans. Fluorescence analysis using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) indicated that the (+)-pinoresinol caused damage to the fungal plasma membrane. This result was confirmed by using rhodamine-labeled giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) experiments. Therefore, the present study indicates that (+)-pinoresinol possesses fungicidal activities and therapeutic potential as an antifungal agent for the treatment of fungal infectious diseases in humans.
%K (+)-pinoresinol
%K lignan
%K antifungal compound
%K membrane-active mechanism
%K Sambucus williamsii HANCE
%U http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/15/5/3507