Antifungal Activity and Computational Study of Constituents from Piper divaricatum Essential Oil against Fusarium Infection in Black Pepper

Abstract

Fusarium disease causes considerable losses in the cultivation of Piper nigrum, the black pepper used in the culinary world. Brazil was the largest producer of black pepper, but in recent years has lost this hegemony, with a significant reduction in its production, due to the ravages produced by the Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis, the fungus which causes this disease. Scientific research seeks new alternatives for the control and the existence of other Piper species in the Brazilian Amazon, resistant to disease, are being considered in this context. The main constituents of the oil of Piper divaricatum are methyleugenol (75.0%) OPEN ACCESSMolecules 2014, 19 17927 and eugenol (10.0%). The oil and these two main constituents were tested individually at concentrations of 0.25 to 2.5 mg/mL against F. solani f. sp. piperis, exhibiting strong antifungal index, from 18.0% to 100.0%. The 3D structure of the β-glucosidase from Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis, obtained by homology modeling, was used for molecular docking and molecular electrostatic potential calculations in order to determine the binding energy of the natural substrates glucose, methyleugenol and eugenol. The results showed that β-glucosidase (Asp45, Arg113, Lys146, Tyr193, Asp225, Trp226 and Leu99) residues play an important role in the interactions that occur between the protein-substrate and the engenol and methyleugenol inhibitors, justifying the antifungal action of these two phenylpropenes against Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis.

Antifungal activity of essential oils extracted from Agastache mexicana ssp. xolocotziana and Porophyllum linaria against post-harvest pathogens

“…However, other studies report antifungal activity from some of the other main compounds isolated from A. mexicana. In the case of methyl eugenol, it has significant activity against infections of Fusarium in black pepper, using essential oils extracted from P. divaricatum where methyl eugenol represents the major component (77%) of the oil (Da Silva et al, 2014). On the other hand, weak activities were observed when methyl eugenol was exposed to Microsporum canis (MIC = 78-150 g/mL) and to Candida spp.…”

Impact of dental cement on the peri‐implant biofilm‐microbial comparison of two different cements in an in vivo observational study

“…It is to be assumed that both the revision of the dental restorations including the removal of the excess cement and the recementation with TB had an essential influence on the clinical findings. [40][41][42][43] The clinical findings after a follow-up period of 1 year may be assumed to be stable and to be the result of removing the excess cement and changing the type of cement (from PIC to TB) when the dental restorations were recemented in the revision treatment. Zinc oxide is said to have an antimicrobial activity.…”

“…38,39 It has an antibacterial, antiviral as well as an antifungal effect. [40][41][42][43] The clinical findings after a follow-up period of 1 year may be assumed to be stable and to be the result of removing the excess cement and changing the type of cement (from PIC to TB) when the dental restorations were recemented in the revision treatment.…”

Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Rhizopus oryzae and Its Effect on Plant Pathogens

“…Methyleugenol and eugenol extracted form Piper diverticum were tested individually at concentrations of 0.25 to 2.5 mg/mL against F. solani f. sp. piperis, and it expressed the strong antifungal index, from 18.0% to 100.0% (da Silva et al, 2014). Eugenol and methyl eugenol are phenylpropanoids and are known to possess antimicrobial activity, induction of oxidative stress characterized by elevated levels of free radicals and an impaired antioxidant defence system.…”