Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 28 (2018) 697–702
www.elsevier.com/locate/bjp
Original Article
Antifungal activity of extracts and phenolic compounds from Deguelia
duckeana
Nerilson M. Lima a,1 , Lorena M. Cursino-Hron b,1 , Alita M. Lima b , João V.B. Souza b ,
André C. de Oliveira a , Jane V.N. Marinho a , Cecilia V. Nunez a,∗
a
b
Laboratório de Bioprospecção e Biotecnologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, Brazil
Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, Brazil
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Article history:
Received 14 May 2018
Accepted 13 August 2018
Available online 20 September 2018
Keywords:
Amazonian plant
Chalcone
Flavonoid
Lignan
Stilbene
Timbó
a b s t r a c t
Candida spp. is associated with almost 80% of all nosocomial fungal infections and is considered
a major cause of blood stream infections. In humans, Cryptococcosis is a disease of the lungs
caused by the fungi Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans. It can be potentially fatal, especially in immune-compromised patients. In a search for antifungal drugs, Deguelia duckeana extracts
were assayed against these two fungi and also against Candida albicans, which causes candidiasis. Hexane branches and CH2 Cl2 root extracts as well as the substances 4-hydroxylonchocarpine,
3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-4-prenylstilbene and 3′ ,4′ -methylenedioxy-7-methoxyflavone were assayed to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration. Phytochemical study of CH2 Cl2 root and hexane branch
extracts from D. duckeana A.M.G. Azevedo, Fabaceae, resulted in the isolation and characterization of
nine phenolic compounds: 4-hydroxyderricine, 4-hydroxylonchocarpine, 3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxy-flavonol,
5,4′ -dihydroxy-isolonchocarpine, 4-hydroxyderricidine, derricidine, 3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-stilbene, 3′ ,4′ ,7trimethoxyflavone and yangambin. The only active extract was a CH2 Cl2 root showing minimal inhibitory
concentration 800 g/ml against C. gattii, and the investigation of compounds obtained from this extract
showed that 4-hydroxylonchocarpine was active against all three fungi (C. neoformans, C. gattii and C. albicans). These results suggest that D. duckeana extracts have potential therapeutic value for the treatment
of pathogenic fungi.
© 2018 Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. on behalf of Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. This is
an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/
4.0/).
Introduction
Candida spp. is associated with almost 80% of all nosocomial fungal infections and is considered the major cause of blood stream
infections and its infections involve a broad spectrum of superficial
and invasive diseases. The result is a great medical challenge, due
to both the difficulties of diagnosis and in finding effective countermeasures to the infections caused by these fungi (Colombo and
Guimarães, 2003).
The Fabaceae is a large botanical family and a producer of
phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and isoflavonoids used
as chemotaxonomic markers (Hegnauer and Gpayer-Barkmeijer,
1993; Veitch, 2013). Species from Papilionoideae subfamily are
known to produce substances with pharmacological properties,
∗ Corresponding author.
E-mail: cecilia@inpa.gov.br (C.V. Nunez).
1
Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript.
including flavonoids from Tephrosia apollinea with antifungal activity (Ammar et al., 2013), flavonoids from Dalbergia odorifera (Lee
et al., 2013), and isoflavonoids from Abrus mollis, both with antiinflammatory activity (Chen et al., 2014a).
Deguelia is one of some 750 genera in the Fabaceae. Studies of
the members of this genus (sometimes under synonymies) report
stilbene and flavanones from Derris rariflora (=Deguelia rariflora)
(Braz Filho et al., 1975a); rotenone and tephrosin from Derris urucu
(=Deguelia rufescens var. urucu) (Braz Filho et al., 1975a); isoflavan
from Derris amazonica (=Lonchocarpus negrensis) (Braz Filho et al.,
1975a); stilbene, lonchocarpine and 4-hydroxy-lonchocarpin from
Derris floribunda (Braz Filho et al., 1975b); stilbene from Deguelia
spruceana (Garcia et al., 1986); isoflavonoids from Derris glabrescens
(=Lonchocarpus densiflorus) (Monache et al., 1977); prenylated
isoflavonoids (Magalhães et al., 2001) and flavanone from Deguelia
hatschbachii (Magalhães et al., 2003); prenylated flavonoids from
Deguelia longeracemosa (Magalhães et al., 2006); dihydroflavonols
from D. urucu (Lôbo et al., 2009), stilbenes from D. rufescens var.
urucu (Lôbo et al., 2010); isoflavonoids and chromones (Lawson
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjp.2018.08.004
0102-695X/© 2018 Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. on behalf of Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
698
N.M. Lima et al. / Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 28 (2018) 697–702
et al., 2008), chalcones and rotenoids from Lonchocarpus nicou
(Lawson et al., 2010); flavonoids from Deguelia utilis (Oliveira et al.,
2012) and stilbenes from D. rufescens (= Derris urucu, Lonchocarpus
urucu) (Pereira et al., 2012). The main characteristic of this genus
and its close relatives is the presence of isoprenyl groups but, as
a recent review describes (Marques et al., 2015), it also possesses
dimethylchromone and related compounds.
Deguelia duckeana A.M.G. Azevedo, Fabaceae, a species endemic
to Brazil, is known as “cipó-cururu” or “timbó” and used by indigenous people to kill fish. It is known only from the Brazilian states
of Amazonas, Pará and Rondônia (Camargo and Tozzi, 2017). As
far as we know from the available literature, there are only three
studies published concerning biological activity and/or chemical
isolation of D. duckeana. One showing extract antimycobacterial
activity (Carrion et al., 2013), another the presence of stilbene and
chalcones, Artemia salina toxicity and moderate activity against
Staphylococcus aureus (Lima et al., 2013) and a third describing the
isolation of flavones, flavanones, chalcones and stilbene and their
effect on cellular viability, AMPK, eEF2, eIF2 and eIF4E (Cursino
et al., 2016).
Accordingly, the current study was carried out to enhance
knowledge of the chemical and biological potential of D. duckeana.
First, the antifungal activity of root and branch extracts was evaluated against Cryptococcus gattii, C. neoformans and Candida albicans.
Thereafter, phytochemical fractionation of these extracts was performed to obtain pure compounds. As 4-hydroxylonchocarpine is
described in the literature with activity against fungi (Mbaveng
et al., 2008; Dzoyem et al., 2013; Kuete et al., 2013), this chalcone,
together with 3′ ,4′ -methylenedioxy-7-methoxyflavone and 3,5,4′ trimethoxy-4-prenylstilbene, all three previously isolated (Cursino
et al., 2016), were assayed against C. albicans which causes candidiasis, a widespread disease (Chakravarthi and Haleagrahara, 2011),
and against C. gattii and C. neoformans which caused Cryptococcosis, a serious disease—notably in immuno-compromised patients.
C. gattii also causes meningoencephalitis and other central nervous
system and pulmonary-linked diseases, which can often be fatal
(Chen et al., 2014b).
Materials and methods
General experimental procedure
Spectral data were obtained from Varian Inova (1 H NMR
500 MHz) and Bruker DRX (1 H NMR 400 MHz). Samples were analyzed using CDCl3 as solvent and internal standard. Compounds 8
and 9 were also analyzed by LC-MS MicroTOF-QII (Brucker Daltonics), ESI, positive mode and Prominence UFLC (Shimadzu) (DAD)
SPDM-20A. The SiO2 60 chromatography column (230–400 mesh)
used was made by Merck, Germany, and the Sephadex LH-20 by
Sigma. The solvents MeOH, hexane, EtOAc and CH2 Cl2 were from
Vetec. TLC of SiO2 (UV254, 0.20 mm, Macherey, Nagel, USA).
Reference fungal strains
Candida albicans (ATCC 36232), Cryptococcus neoformans (WM
148, genotype VNI) and Cryptococcus gattii (WM 178, genotype
VGII) were used as reference material. These strains were kindly
supplied by the fungus collection held by Fiocruz-Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, and are now preserved in the microbial collection of the
National Institute of Amazon Research (INPA), Manaus, Brazil. The
cultures were preserved in mineral oil, and subcultures maintained
on Sabouraud medium to ensure purity and viability until testing
was performed.
Plant material
Roots and branches of Deguelia duckeana A.M.G. Azevedo,
Fabaceae, were collected on Praia Dourada (Manaus, Amazonas,
Brazil) in September 2005. In order to obtain more plant material
to perform the chemical fractionation, a new collection was made
in August 2009. Vouchers of both plant materials were deposited
in the herbarium of Instituto Federal de Educação do Amazonas
(EAFM), as accession numbers 10606 and 10613, respectively.
Plant extraction and substances isolation
Roots were dried and extracted with CH2 Cl2 as solvent, using an
ultrasound bath for 20 min (Unique, São Paulo, Brazil), filtered and
the procedure repeated twice. Plant material was then dried and
then extracted with methanol (MeOH), and finally with H2 O, with
all extractions using the same procedure.
Dichloromethane root extract (8 g) was fractionated in a SiO2
chromatography column with solvents hexane, CH2 Cl2 , EtOAc and
MeOH as gradient. Combined fractions 20–30 obtained as medium
polarity (EtOAc) were re-fractionated with CH2 Cl2 , CH2 Cl2 /EtOAc
and EtOAc/MeOH. TLC preparative analysis of fraction 5 was
eluted with CH2 Cl2 /EtOAc 95:5 and showed compounds in mixture
(4.1 mg) as 1 and 2.
Combined fractions 13–15 were purified by open column chromatography using a Sephadex LH-20 with MeOH as elution system
yielding compound 3 and a mixture (128 mg) with compounds 2
(∼34%), 4 (∼26%) and 5 (∼40%). NMR spectral data allowed the
correct identification of compounds without isolating them. Relative percentages were calculated in mixture by using 1 H NMR
integration signals.
Combined fractions 4–5 (2.8 g) obtained from the first fractionation of CH2 Cl2 root extract were separated with SiO2 with the
solvents hexane, EtOAc and MeOH yielding 50 fractions. Among
them, fraction 39 was analyzed by LC-MS on a C-18 analytic column, using a gradient system with ACN/H2 O (0.1% acetic acid)
20% (0–11 min), 100% (11–12 min), 20% (12–15 min) and flow of
0.4 ml/min. The chromatogram showed two peaks at 5.8 and 6 min,
corresponding to m/z 313.107121 [M + H]+ ion (molecular formula
C18 H16 O5 ) for compound 8, and m/z 469.182066 [M + Na]+ (molecular formula C24 H30 O8 ) for compound 9.
In order to identify bioactive flavonoids, the hexanic branch
extract (2 g) was fractionated with open column chromatography
using SiO2 with solvents hexane, EtOAc and MeOH as gradient. The
combined fractions containing flavonoids was obtained using hexane/EtOAc 9:1 until 1:9 as the elution system, yielding compounds
6 (5 mg) and 7 (3.6 mg).
Fractionation of all samples were monitored by 1 H NMR, UV
(254 and 365 nm), with reagents FeCl3 , AlCl3 and Ce(SO4 )2 .
Antifungal activity
Previously isolated compounds (Cursino et al., 2016)
were tested in the current study. Only three compounds (4hydroxylonchocarpine, 3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-4-prenylstilbene and
3′ ,4′ -methylenedioxy-7-methoxyflavone) were selected because
the first has cytotoxic activity reported in the literature and
only they showed enough amount. In addition to these three,
hexane branch and CH2 Cl2 root extracts were also assayed to
determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) as set by
the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute 2008 (CLSI, 2008).
Assays were performed in 96-well plates, each containing 100 l
of each previously diluted substance or extract, plus 100 l of
RPMI 1640 broth medium with substance or extract and 100 l of
diluted microorganism containing 2.5 × 103 CFU/ml. We evaluated
concentrations from 800 to 6.25 g/ml for plant extracts, and
N.M. Lima et al. / Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 28 (2018) 697–702
concentrations from 320 to 0.625 g/ml for isolated substances. C.
albicans was incubated at 35 ◦ C for 24 h, and Cryptococcus gattii and
C. neoformans at 35 ◦ C for 72 h. Cultivated fungal strains and RPMI
1640 medium were used as negative controls, and amphotericin B
(64 g/ml) as a positive control. Dimethyl sulfoxide was used for
compound dilution with final concentration in the bioassay below
1%. MIC values were determined visually after 24 h incubation,
as the lowest concentration of drug that resulted in both ≥50%
inhibition and 100% inhibition of growth relative to the growth of
the control, as previously described by the Clinical and Laboratory
Standards Institute 2008 (CLSI, 2008).
Results
Compound identifications
Phytochemical study of CH2 Cl2 root and hexane branch
extracts from D. duckeana resulted in isolation and characterization of nine phenolic compounds: 4-hydroxyderricine (1),
4-hydroxylonchocarpine (2), 3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxy-flavonol (3), 5,4′ dihydroxy-isolonchocarpine (4), 4-hydroxyderricidine (5), derricidine (6), 3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-stilbene (7), 3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxyflavone
(8) and yangambin (9).
Chalcone 4-hydroxyderricine (1): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı:
1.68 (3H, s, Me), 1.80 (3H, s, Me), 3.38 (2H, d, J = 7.2 Hz, H-1′′ ), 3.91
(3H, s, OMe), 5.23 (1H, m, H-2′′ ), 6.49 (1H, d, J = 9.2 Hz, H-5′ ), 6.88
(1H, d, J = 8.8 Hz, H-3 and H-5), 7.47 (1H, d, J = 15.2 Hz, H-␣), 7.56 (1H,
d, J = 8.8 Hz, H-2 and H-6), 7.79 (1H, d, J = 9.2 Hz, H-6′ ), 7.83 (1H, d,
J = 15.2 Hz, H-), 13.45 (1H, s, 2′ -OH). 13 C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı:
17.8 (C-5′′ ), 21.6 (C-1′′ ), 25.8 (C-4′′ ), 102.0 (C-5′ ), 114.7 (C-1′ ), 115.9
(C-3, C-5), 117.4 (C-3′ ), 118.3 (C-␣), 122.0 (C-2′′ ), 127.7 (C-1), 129.1
(C-6′ ), 131.9 (C-3′′ ), 130.6 (C-2 and C-6), 144.1 (C-), 158.0 (C-4),
163.0 (C-2′ ), 163.2 (C-4′ ), 192.4 (C=O).
Chalcone 4-hydroxylonchocarpine (2): 1 H NMR (500 MHz,
CDCl3 ) ı: 1.45 (6H, s), 5.57 (1H, d, J = 10 Hz), 6.38 (1H, d, J = 8.5 Hz,
H-5′ ), 6.74 (1H, d, J = 10 Hz), 6.89 (2H, d, J = 8.5 Hz), 7.56 (2H, d,
J = 8.5 Hz), 7.54 (1H, d, J = 15.5 Hz, H-␣), 7.72 (1H, d, J = 8.5 Hz, H-6′ ),
7.85 (1H, d, J = 15.5 Hz, H-), 13.75 (1H, s).
Flavonol 3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxy-flavonol (3): 1 H NMR (500 MHz,
CDCl3 ) ı: 3.96 (3H, s, OMe), 3.97 (3H, s, OMe), 3.99 (3H, s, OMe),
699
6.97 (1H, d, J = 8.0 Hz), 7.00 (1H, d, J = 2.0 Hz), 7.02 (1H, dd, J = 9.0
and 2.0 Hz), 7.39 (1H, d, J = 2.5), 7.59 (1H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.0 Hz), 8.15
(1H, d, J = 8.0 Hz). 13 C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı: 55.9 (OCH3 ), 56.0
(OCH3 ), 56.3 (OCH3 ), 100.1 (C-8), 110.7 (C-5′ ), 112.2 (C-2′ ), 115.0 (C6), 116.2 (C-10), 123.1 (C-6′ ), 124.0 (C-1′ ), 127.8 (C-5), 148.6 (C-3′ ),
151.3 (C-4′ ), 152.4 (C-9), 160.0 (C-2), 164.5 (C-7), 172.5 (C=O).
5,4′ -Dihydroxy-isolonchocarpine (4): 1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3 )
ı: 12.27 (1H, s), 7.30 (2H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.5 Hz; H-2′ and H-6′ ), 6.88
(2H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.5 Hz; H-3′ and H-5′ ), 6.61 (1H, d, J = 10.0, H-4′′ ),
5.49 (1H, d, J = 10.0, H-3′′ ) and 1.43 (6H, s), 5.95 (1H, s), 5.32 (1H, dd,
J = 13 and 3.0 Hz, H-2), 3.06 (1H, dd, J = 17.0 and 13.0 Hz, H-3), 2.77
(1H, dd, J = 17.0 and 3.0 Hz, H-3).
Chalcone 4-hydroxyderricidine (5): 1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3 )
ı: 6.88 (2H, d, J = 8.5, H-3 and H-5), 7.54 (2H, d, J = 8.5, H-2 and H6), 7.42 (1H, d, J = 15.5, H-␣), 7.83 (1H, d, J = 15.5, H-), 7.81 (1H, d,
J = 8.5, H-6′ ), 6.47 (1H, d, J = 2.5, H-3′ ), 6.49 (1H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.5,
H-5′ ), 4.56 (2H, d, J = 7.0, H-1′′ ), 5.49 (1H, m, H-2′′ ), 1.80 (3H, s, CH3 ),
1.75 (3H, s, CH3 ), 13.56 (1H, s).
Chalcone derricidine (6): 1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı: 13.44 (1H,
s), 7.89 (1H, d, J = 16.0 Hz), 7.59 (1H, d, J = 16.0 Hz), 7.65 (2H, m, H-2
and H-6), 7.44 (3H, m, H-3, H-4 and H-6), 1.81 (3H, s), 1.76 (3H, s),
4.57 (2H, d, J = 6.8 Hz), 5.49 (1H, m), 6.50 (1H, dd, J = 8.4 and 2.4 Hz),
6.48 (1H, d, J = 2.4 Hz), 7.83 (1H, d, J = 8.4 Hz).
Stilbene 3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-stilbene (7): 1 H NMR (500 MHz,
CDCl3 ) ı: 7.04 (1H, d, J = 16.4 Hz, H-8), 6.91 (1H, d, J = 16.4 Hz, H7), 3.83 (3H, s), 7.45 (2H, dd, J = 8.4 and 2.0 Hz, H-2′ and H-6′ ), 6.90
(2H, d, J = 8.4 and 2.0 Hz, H-3′ and H-5′ ), 3.832 (6H, s), 6.65 (2H, d,
J = 2.0 Hz, H-2 and H-6), 6.37 (1H, t, J = 2.0 Hz, H-4).
Flavone 3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxyflavone (8): 1 H NMR (400 MHz,
CDCl3 ) ı: 3.92 (3H, s, 7-OCH3 ), 3.95 (3H, s, 4′ -OCH3 ), 3.97 (3H, s,
3′ -OCH3 ), 6.98 (1H, d, J = 2.0, H-8), 6.98 (2H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.0, H6), 8.11 (1H, d, J = 8.5, H-5), 6.69 (1H, s, H-3), 7.53 (1H, dd, J = 8.5
and 2.0, H-6′ ), 6.96 (1H, d, J = 8.5, H-5′ ), 7.35 (1H, d, J = 2.0, H-2′ ).
13 C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl ) ı: 55.8 (7-OCH ), 56.0 (4′ -OCH ), 56.1
3
3
3
(3′ -OCH3 ), 117.6 (C-10), 157.8 (C-9), 111.0 (C-8), 164.0 (C-7), 114.2
(C-6), 126.9 (C-5), 177.8 (C-4), 106.3 (C-3), 163.0 (C-2), 119.8 (C-6′ ),
100.3 (C-5′ ), 151.8 (C-4′ ), 149.2 (C-3′ ), 108.7 (C-2′ ), 124.2 (C-1′ ).
700
N.M. Lima et al. / Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 28 (2018) 697–702
Table 1
MIC (g/ml) of extracts and isolated compounds from Deguelia duckeana against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans.
CH2 Cl2 root extract
Hexanic branch extract
4-Hydroxylonchocarpine
3′ ,4′ -Methylenedioxy-7-methoxyflavone
3,5,4′ -Trimethoxy-4-prenylstilbene
Amphotericin B
C. albicans (ATCC 36232)
C. gattii (WM 17)
C. neoformans (WM 148)
>800
>800
320
>320
>320
0.25
800
>800
80
>320
>320
0.125
>800
>800
20
>320
>320
0.06
Lignan yangambin (9): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı: 3.09 (2H, m,
8, 8′ ), 3.82 (6H, s, OCH3 ), 3.86 (12H, s, OCH3 ), 3.92 (2H, dd, J = 9.0 and
6.9 Hz, H-9, H-9′ ), 4.31 (2H, dd, J = 9.0 and 6.9 Hz, H-9␣, H-9′ ␣),
4.75 (2H, d, J = 4.0, H-7, 7′ ), 6.57 (4H, s, H-2, H-6, H-2′ , H-6′ ). 13 C NMR
(100 MHz, CDCl3 ) ı: 54.3 (C-8, C-8′ ), 55.8 (OCH3 ), 60.8 (OCH3 ), 71.9
(C-9, C-9′ ), 85.9 (C-7, C-7′ ), 102.7 (C-2, C-6, C-2′ , C-6′ ), 136.6 (C-1,
C-1′ ), 137.4 (C-4, C-4′ ), 153.3 (C-3, C-3′ , C-5, C-5′ ).
Although all these compounds are known, it is important to
emphasize that D. duckeana has been reported as a species with
important biological activities, but is so far very under-researched.
The current study of D. duckeana found several phenolic compounds
which corroborate known Fabaceae chemotaxonomy.
Antifungal activity
In terms of the MIC, as set by the Clinical and Laboratory
Standards Institute 2008 (CLSI, 2008), the antifungal activity of 4hydroxylonchocarpine showed significant results for members of
the genera Candida and Microsporum, but the activity against C. gattii, described in the current study (Table 1), is being done so for first
time, as far as we know.
Discussion
The identification of nine phenolic compounds from D. duckeana
by the current study contributes to chemosystematic knowledge
of genus Deguelia, which shows mostly flavonoid and related compounds. The compounds 4-hydroxylonchocarpine and derricidine
were previously isolated from D. duckeana branches (Braz Filho
et al., 1975b; Oliveira et al., 2012; Lima et al., 2013; Cursino et al.,
2016; Ahmed et al., 2002), while 4-hydroxyderricine is described
for the first time from the genus Deguelia.
Compound 1 (4-hydroxyderricine) was a yellow solid in mixture
with compound 2 (4-hydroxylonchocarpine). Integration analysis
of the signals from spectral data allowed the identification of compound 2 corresponding to 47.7% of the mixture. Two singlets at
ıH 13.45 and ıH 13.75 indicate the presence of two flavonoids with
chelated hydroxyl groups. Compound 1 was characterized as a chalcone due to two doublets at ıH 7.47 (1H, J = 15.2 Hz) and ıH 7.83
(1H, J = 15.2 Hz) related to the trans-olefinic hydrogens ␣ and ,
one singlet in ıH 13.45 referable to a chelated hydroxyl group (C2′ OH), two doublets at ıH 7.56 (2H, J = 8.8 Hz) and 6.88 (2H, J = 8.8 Hz)
corresponding to H-2/H-6 and H-3/H-5, respectively. Two doublets
at ıH 7.79 (1H, J = 9.2 Hz, H-6′ ) and ıH 6.49 (1H, J = 9.2 Hz, H-5′ ) indicated the presence of ortho coupling and one singlet at ıH 3.91 (3H)
characterized a methoxyl linked to an aromatic group. At ıH 5.23
(1H, m), ıH 3.38 (2H, d, J = 7.2 Hz), 1.80 (3H, s) and 1.68 (3H, s), a
prenyl group was observed. The chemical shifts of carbon 4 (ıC
158.0), 3 and 5 (ıC 115.9) indicated that there was only a hydroxyl
group linked to carbon 4. The structural proposal was confirmed by
comparison with the literature (Shin et al., 2011).
Compound 2, identified as chalcone 4-dihydroxylonchocarpine,
is common in Fabaceae and Moraceae families. Chalcones are
known to possess antimalarial (Ramírez et al., 2010), antibacterial,
antifungal (Dzoyem et al., 2013) and anticancer (Ngameni et al.,
2006) biological activity.
1 H NMR spectrum of compound 3 (3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxy-flavonol)
showed ortho and meta hydrogens coupled with double doublets
at ıH 7.03 (J = 8.9 and 2.4 Hz) and 6.91 (J = 2.4 Hz) and a doublet at
ıH 8.20 (1H, J = 8.9 Hz) characterizing H-6, H-5 and H-8 of A-ring
belonging to flavonoid nuclei, respectively.
In the 13 C NMR spectrum, 15 carbon sp2 were observed, compatible with units of the C6-C3-C6 typical of flavonoids. The signal at
ıC 172.5 (C-4) is compatible with a flavonoid carbonyl group. The
signals ıC 112.2, 123.1 and 110.7 correlated on an HSQC contour
map with ıH 7.45 (d, J = 2.1 Hz), 7.57 (dd, J = 8.4 and 2.1 Hz) and 7.01
(d, J = 8.4 Hz), respectively, and indicated a B ring at the C-3 and
C-4 positions. Verified signals ıC 55.9, 56.0 and 56.3 on 13 C NMR
correlated with singlets at ıH 3.93, 3.97 and 3.98 on 1 H NMR and
indicated the presence of three methoxyl aromatic groups which
were assigned to C-7, C-3 and C-4 carbons. Localization of methoxyl
substituent groups was confirmed by an HMBC contour map.
Compound 4 (5,4′ -dihydroxy-isolonchocarpin) was recognized
as a flavanone through signals of C-ring hydrogens [ıH 5.32 (1H,
dd, J = 13.0 and 3.0 Hz, H-2), 3.06 (1H, dd, J = 17.0 and 13.0 Hz, H3), 2.77 (1H, dd, J = 17.0 and 3.0 Hz, H-3)]. One singlet at ıC 12.27
characterized a chelated hydroxyl group that could be assigned to
a flavanone C-5. Signals from a para-substituted B-ring [ıH 7.30
(2H, dd, J = 8.5 and 2.5 Hz, H-2′ and H-6′ ) and 6.88 (2H, dd, J = 8.5
and 2.5 Hz, H-3′ and H-5′ )], signals of gem-dimethyl-chromone [ıH
6.61 (1H, d, J = 10.0, H-4′′ ), 5.49 (1H, d, J = 10.0, H-3′′ ) and 1.43 (6H, s)],
and one singlet at H-8 [ıH 5.95 (1H; s)] characterized the flavanone
5,4′ -dihydroxy-isolonchocarpin.
Compound 5 (4-hydroxyderricidine) showed a doublet at 6.88
(2H, d, J = 8.5, H-3 and H-5) and 7.54 (2H, d, J = 8.5, H-2 and H-6),
indicating B ring substitution by a chelated hydroxyl group at ıH
13.56.
Compound 6 (derricidine) was obtained as a yellow solid, a precursor of 4-hydroxyderricidine (5). 1 H NMR spectrum of compound
6 revealed the presence of two double doublets at ıH 7.89 and 7.59
(J = 16.0 Hz), characterizing the trans-olefinic system of chalcone. A
singlet at ıH 13.44 indicated a chelated hydroxyl group on the C-2′
position. The signals at ıH 7.65 (2H, m, H-2 and H-6) and 7.44 (3H,
m, H-3, H-4 and H-6) indicated an unsubstituted B ring. A prenyl
group was observed via the signals at 1.81 (s, 3H), 1.76 (s, 3H), 4.57
(2H, d, J = 6.8 Hz) and 5.49, and also at 6.50 (1H, J = 8.4 and 2.4 Hz)
with meta coupling at 6.48 (1H, J = 2.4 Hz) and ortho coupling at 7.83
(1H, d, J = 8.4 Hz).
Compound 7 was characterized as a trimethoxylated derivative of resveratrol (3,5,4′ -trimethoxy-stilbene). It showed doublets
at ıH 7.04 and 6.91 with large J-coupling (16.4 Hz) characterizing
trans-ethylenic chair due to two singlets of aromatic methoxyl at ıH
3.833 (3H) and ıH 3.832 (6H), three singlets of aromatic methoxyl
and two pairs of doublets ıH 7.45 (2H, H-2′ and H-6′ ) and ıH 6.90
(2H, H-3′ and H-5′ ) with coupling at ortho (J = 8.4 Hz) and meta
(J = 2.0 Hz), indicating one para-substituted aromatic system. The
methoxyl groups were attributed to the 3 and 5 positions owing to
two doublets with coupling meta at ıH 6.65 (2H, J = 2.0 Hz) and one
triplet at ıH 6.37 attributed to homotopic hydrogens H-2, H-6 and
to H-4, respectively.
N.M. Lima et al. / Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 28 (2018) 697–702
Compounds 8 and 9 were identified in mixture. 1 H NMR
spectrum of compound 8 (3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxyflavone) showed one
singlet at ıH 6.69, indicating the presence of hydrogen of a flavone
C-ring. The signals at ıH 8.11 (1H, d, J = 8.5 Hz, H-5), 6.98 (1H, dd,
J = 8.5 and 2.0 Hz, H-6) and 6.98 (1H, d, J = 2.0 Hz, H-6) belong to the
hydrogens H-5, H-6 and H-8 (A-ring). Chemical shifts from a B ring
were observed at ıH 7.53 (dd, J = 8.5 and 2.0, H-6′ ), 6.96 (d, J = 8.5,
H-5′ ), 7.35 (d, J = 2.0, H-2′ ), indicating substitutions on C-3′ and C4′ positions due to methoxyl groups at ıH 3.95 (s, 3H) and 3.97
(s, 3H). A methoxyl group was observed at ıH 3.92 (s) attributed
to C-7, which was confirmed through correlations on a contour
map. Combined, these spectral data allowed the identification of
3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxyflavone.
Compound 9 was identified as the lignan yangambin through
signals at ıH 6.57 (4H, s), ıH 4.75 (2H, d, J = 4.0 Hz), 4.31 (2H, dd, J = 9.0
and 6.9 Hz), 3.92 (2H, dd, J = 9.0 and 6.9) and ı 3.09 (2H, m). These
signals showed correlation on an HSQC contour map: ıC 102.7 and
ıH 6.57; ıC 85.9 and ıH 4.75; ıC 54.3 and ıH 3.09 and on HMBC: ıC
137.4 and ıH 6.57 (3J); ıC 137.4 and ıH 3.82 (3J); ıC 85.9 and ıH 6.57
(3J); ıC 85.9 and ıH 4.31 (3J); ıC 54.3 and ıH 4.75 (2J).
In order to determine minimum inhibition concentrations
(MICs), hexanic branches and CH2 Cl2 root extracts were tested
against C. albicans, C. gattii and C. neoformans. The only active extract
was CH2 Cl2 root, which showed an MIC of 800 g/ml against C.
gattii. Investigation of the compounds obtained from this extract
showed that 4-hydroxylonchocarpine was active against all three
species. 4-Hydroxylonchocarpine has been described as a chalcone with several biological activities, including antimicrobial,
anticancer, antituberculosis, antimalarial, antioxidant and antiinflammatory potential (Kuete et al., 2013) and, more recently,
induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), phosphorylation of the
eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and AMP-activated protein
kinase (AMPK) and activated caspase-3 (Cursino et al., 2016).
The antifungal activity of 4-hydroxylonchocarpine showed significant results for C. albicans, C. gabrata, Microsporum audorium and
Trichophyton rubrum (Mbaveng et al., 2008), and against C. tropicalis, C. albicans and C. neoformans (Dzoyem et al., 2013), but that
for C. gattii, described in the current study (Table 1), is being done
so for first time, as far as we know.
The properties of compound 8 (3′ ,4′ ,7-trimethoxyflavone) have
already been investigated by another study, which isolated it and
tested its effects on phosphorylation of eEF2, AMPK and eIF4E
(Cursino et al., 2016). Compound 9 (yangambin) has been described
from a wide variety of species, including Achillea holosericea, Asteraceae (Ahmed et al., 2002), Magnolia fargesii, Magnoliaceae (Kim
et al., 2009), Ocotea duckei, Lauraceae (Antunes et al., 2006), as well
as previous studies of D. duckeana (Cursino et al., 2016). It showed
analgesic and anticancer activities (Hausott et al., 2003) and protective effect related to cardiovascular collapse (Araújo et al., 2001).
As this genus is known for the presence of prenylated flavonoids,
the present results corroborate the location of the Deguelia within
the Fabaceae. The present study describes antifungal activity of
4-hydroxylonchocarpine against C. gattii for the first time, which
indicates a preliminary antifungal activity. Further studies, especially in the pharmacological area, are necessary to confirm these
results.
Authors’ contributions
NML, LMCC, ACO, JVNM, CVN and JVBS conceived and designed
the experiments; NML and JVNM collected the plant sample and
made herbarium exsiccates; NML, LMCC, AML, ACO and JVNM performed the experiments; NML, LMCC, AML, JVBS and CVN analyzed
the data; JVBS and CVN supervised the laboratory work and contributed with reagents/materials/analysis tools, as well as to critical
701
reading of the manuscript; NML, LMCC and CVN wrote the paper.
All the authors have read the final manuscript and approved the
submission.
Conflicts of interest
All authors have none to declare.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank to Brazilian Research
Agencies CNPq (PPBio/CNPq - 457472/2012-0, CT-Agro/CNPq 405804/2013-0, REPENSA/CNPq/FAPEAM - 562892/2010-9) and
CAPES (Pro-Amazônia/CAPES - 23038.000738/2013-78) for financial support. The authors also thank Andersson Barison and Kahlil
Salomé, from University of Paraná, the INPA’s Natural Products Analytical Central for the NMR spectra analysis, and Adrian Barnett who
helped with the English.
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