Objectives: This work aimed to evaluate the antifungal and cytotoxic activity of the EtOH extract and fractions of Banisteriopsis argyrophylla leaves, and to perform the identification of these bioactive metabolites.
Methods: The EtOAc fraction (EAF) obtained from the ethanolic extract of B. argyrophylla leaves showed better antifungal potential against Candida spp. In this fraction, ten flavonoids have been identified by UHPLC-ESI-MSn . Then, EAF was submitted to column chromatography to give four new fractions (A1-A4). The cytotoxicity was determined against Vero cells.
Key findings: The EAF showed better antifungal potential against Candida spp. with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) between 31.25 and 93.75 μg/ml. The (-)-catechin (fraction A1) showed a MIC of 2.83 μg/ml against Candida glabrata. Fractions A2, A3 and A4 were rich in quercetins and kaempferols and showed good inhibitory concentrations (5.86-46.87 μg/ml) against C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis.
Conclusions: The EtOH extract, fractions and the isolated (-)-catechin showed lower toxicity to Vero cells than cisplatin, used as a positive control. Thus, the leaves of B. argyrophylla are a promising source of antifungal agents.
Keywords: Banisteriopsis argyrophylla; Cerrado; antifungal; cytotoxicity; flavonoids.
© 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.