Antimicrobial Evaluation of the Polyisoprenylated Benzophenones Nemorosone and Guttiferone <scp>A</scp>

Abstract

Polyisoprenylated benzophenones have been isolated from plants, particularly in the Clusiaceae family, and their biological properties recently have received considerable attention from a pharmacological point of view. The aim of the study was to investigate the polyisoprenylated benzophenones, nemorosone and guttiferone A, for their antimicrobial effect against a panel of bacteria, fungi and protozoan parasites. They showed a moderate activity against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, while no activity was demonstrated against Escherichia coli and the fungi Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans. An interesting activity was found for Plasmodium falciparum with IC₅₀ values lower than 1 μm, while cytotoxicity on MRC-5 cells revealed CC₅₀ values of 15.5 and 12.0 μm, respectively, for nemorosone and guttiferone A.