Isolation of antifungal compounds from Gardenia jasminoides

Gardenia jasminoides E. (Rubiaceae) methanol extracts showed the highest level of antifungal activity against Pleurotus ostreatus, a wood-rotting fungus, compared to five other methanol plants extracts; [Thuja orientalis L. (Cupressaceae), Datura innoxia (Solanaceae), Ligustrum japonicum T. (Oleaceae), Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens (Cupressaceae) and Mallotus japonica M. (Euphorbiaceae)] and selected for further analysis. Two antifungal compounds were isolated from n-butanol and ethyl acetate solubles in the methanol extracts of Gardenia jasminoides leaves and stems by bioassay-guided fractionation, using Pleurotus ostreatus. The antifungal compounds found for the first time in Gardenia jasminoides against Pleurotus ostreatus were identified as genipin and geniposide based on instrumental analyses. Both also had potent inhibitory effects on two plant pathogenic fungi; Fusarium oxysporum and Corynespora cassiicola.

Onychomycosis in inflammatory bowel diseases

BACKGROUND

As far as we have sought for in Medline and PubMed, not one study until now has evaluated the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As there are great evidence of immunological disturbances linked to IBD, a possible relationship of this nail infection in association with those diseases and the possible risk factors might be relevant in IBD patients.

METHODS

A case-control prospective study using combined direct smear and cultures for fungus was performed. Sociodemographics, clinical and laboratorial data were recorded at baseline and samples of suspected nails were collected from 141 IBD (61 men and 80 women) and from a group of 100 non-IBD subjects (41 men and 59 women). Direct smear and cultures were performed on each suspected case to exclude other onychodystrophies.

RESULTS

The incidence of onychomycosis in IBD patients was highly significant in comparison to non-IBD patients (14.9% vs. 6%, respectively, P < 0.05). The risk factors predisposing IBD patients to onychomycosis were older age (P = 0.02) and leucopoenia in those using azathioprine therapy (P = 0.04) beyond a trend to lymphopenia (P = 0.06). The dermatophytes predominated (76.2%) over yeasts (19%) and moulds (4.8%).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of onychomycosis in IBD patients was expressively high (14.9%) in comparison with non-IBD patients. Considering the sociodemographic factors, any one but two were related to fungal onychomycosis incidence. Therefore, as far as we are concerned, IBD must be included in the high-risk underlying conditions for onychomycosis occurrence.

Onychomycosis: beyond cosmetic distress

Onychomycosis, or fungal infection of the nail, is the most common nail disease affecting children (although to a lesser extent) as well as adults. The distress it provokes is not only of a cosmetic kind; it may impair the quality of life. The different clinical types of onychomycosis should be differentiated from similar-looking nail diseases. As far as therapy is concerned, the appearance of new antifungal drugs in the 1990s makes our job easier, but it does not allow us to cure 100% of the patients. Relapses still exist. The aim of this article is to help dermatologists achieve a tailor-made treatment for their patients. The clinical type, the compulsory mycological investigations, the age of the patient, his medical history (drug intake), as well as the use of nail cosmetics, must be considered.