Fungitoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinones to <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Trichophyton mentagrophytes</i>

Abstract

Twenty-one substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones and five 8-quinolinols and copper(II) chelates were tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Compounds containing electron-releasing or weak electron-withdrawing groups in the 2 and 3 positions of the 1,4-naphthoquinone ring were the most active against C. albicans at pH 7.0 in the presence of beef serum in the following order: 2-CH 3 O = 2,3-(CH 3 O) 2 &gt; 2-CH 3 &gt; 2-CH 3 S &gt; 2-NH 2 &gt; 2,6-(CH 3 ) 2 . For T. mentagrophytes under the same conditions the inhibitory 1,4-naphthoquinones contained the substituents 2-CH 3 O &gt; 2,3-(CH 3 O) 2 &gt; 2-CH 3 S &gt; 2-CH 3 &gt; 2-CH 3 (NaHSO 3 ) &gt; 2-NH 2 &gt; 2-C 2 H 5 S, 3-CH 3 &gt; 2,6-(CH 3 ) 2 &gt; 2,3-Cl 2 &gt; 5,8-(OH) 2 .