Phytochemistry. 1996 Jan; 41(1): 111-6.

Secoiridoids and antifungal aromatic acids from Gentiana algida.

Tan RX, Wolfender JL, Ma WG, Zhang LX, Hostettmann K.

Department of Biological Sciences & Technology, Nanjing University, P.R. China.

Fractionation of an aqueous acetone extract of the whole herb of Gentiana algida gave one new [2'-(o,m-dihydroxybenzyl)sweroside] and five known secoiridoids, together with anofinic acid, fomannoxin acid, sitosterol, daucosterol, stigmasterol, oleanolic acid, orientin and gentianose. The structures were determined by spectral methods and a few chemical transformations. Anofinic acid and fomannoxin acid were found to be active against Cladosporium cucumerinum, a plant pathogenic fungus. Preliminary structure-activity studies indicated that the presence of carboxylic moieties in these acids was presumably a precondition for activity, whereas their methyl esters, inactive to the fungus, were active against the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates is discussed briefly.