Studies on Biological Activity of Wood Extractives (X) - Antifungal Compounds of Hovenia dulcis -

Antimicrobial activities of plant extractives were investigated to develop a natural fungicide. Two stilbenoids and five flavonoids were isolated from wood extractives of Hovenia dulcis (Rhamnaceae) which had been selected due to its high antifungal activity among the tested species. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were determinded as : 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone, 5,7-dihydroxy-flavone (chrysin), 5,7-dihydroxyflavanone (pinocembrin), 3,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone (pinobanksin), 3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (aromadendrin), 3-hydroxy-5-methoxystilbene and 3,5-dihydroxystilbene (pinosylvin) on the basis of Mass and NMR spectroscopic data. According to the results of antifungal test, 3-hydroxy-5-methoxystilbene was evaluated as the strongest antifungal compound among the tested compounds and next were pinocembrin and pinosylvin, but those also had high hyphal growth inhibition activities against C. parasitica, T. versicolor, T. palustris and T. viride. However, pinobanksin, 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone, chrysin and aromadendrin showed very low antifungal activity. In this regard, it could inferred that high antifungal activity of wood extractives of H. dulcis were derived from 3-hydroxy-5-methoxystilbene, pinocembrin and pinosylvin, respectively.