OBJECTIVETo study antifungal activity of a new ellagitannin isolated from the plant residues of Euphorbia antisyphilitica (E. antisyphilitica) Zucc in the wax extraction process.

METHODSAn extract was prepared from dehydrated and pulverized residues and fractionated by liquid chromatography on Amberilte XAD-16, until obtained an ellagitannin-rich ethanolic fraction which was treated by rotaevaporation to recover the ellagitannin as fine powder. An aqueous solution was prepared and treated through ionic exchange liquid chromatography (Q XL) and gel permeation chromatography (G 25). The ellagitannin-rich fraction was thermogravimetrically evaluated (TGA and DTA) to test the thermo-stability of ellagic acid (monomeric unit). Then ellagitannin powder was analyzed by infrared spectrospcopy to determinate the functional groups and, also mass spectroscopy was used to determine the molecular ion.

RESULTSThe principal functional groups of ellagitannin were determined, the molecular weight was 860.7 g/mol; and an effective antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi was demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONSIt can be concluded that the new ellagitannin (860.7 g/mol) isolated from E. antisyphilitica Zucc is an effective antifungal agent against Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxyzporum, Colletotrichum gloeosporoides and Rhizoctnia solani.

Euphorbia ; chemistry ; Fungicides, Industrial ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hydrolyzable Tannins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mitosporic Fungi ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared

Objective: To determine the extraction suitable conditions of total phenolic content (TPC) by heat-reflux system, antioxidant activities and HPLC characterization of the aqueous-ethanolic extracts of Jatropha dioica (J. dioica) (Dragon's blood), Flourensia cernua (F. cernua) (Tar bush), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (E. camaldulensis) (Eucalyptus) and Turnera diffusa (T. diffusa) (Damiana). Methods: TPC was evaluated by the well-known colorimetric assay using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The antioxidant activities were assayed by three methods based on scavenging of DPPH, ABTS and by lipid oxidation inhibition. The chemical composition of the extracts obtained was subject to HPLC analysis. Results: TPC in the plant extracts ranged from 2.3 to 14.12 mg gallic acid equivalents/g for J. dioica and E. camaldulensis, respectively. The plant extracts of F. cernua, E. camaldulensis and T. diffusa showed similar strong antioxidant activities on scavenging of DPPH and lipid oxidation inhibition. In contrast, J. dioica extracts had lowest potential antioxidant in three assays used. HPLC assay showed the presence of several phenolic compounds in the extracts used. Conclusions: The results obtained suggest that F. cernua, E. camaldulensis and T. diffusa are potential sources to obtain bioactive phenolic compounds with high antioxidant properties which can be used in the factories as antioxidant agents or for treatments in diseases.