Gas chromatography analysis of the essential oils of leaves and bark collected from the newly discovered tree
Pleodendroncostaricense identified
-pinene,
-pinene,
-myrcene,
-thujene, and
-caryophyllene as their major constituents.Phytochemical analysis of
P. costaricense parts led to the isolation and identification of
-tocotrienol,
-sitosterol, fourknown drimane-type sesquiterpenes, cinnamodial (
1), cinnamosmolide (
2), polygodial (
3), and mukaadial (
4), and twonew compounds, a drimane-type sesquiterpene, parritadial (
5), and an eremophilane-type sesquiterpene, pleodendione(
6). Antifungal assays with the two major compounds,
1 and
2, were carried out, and results showed a high activity of
1 against
Alternaria alternata (MIC = 3.9
g/mL),
Candida albicans azole-resistant strain D10, and
Wangielladermatitides (MICs = 15.6
g/mL). Compound
2 showed less potent antifungal activities than
1 but was more effectiveagainst
Candida albicans azole-resistant strain CN1A (MIC = 23.4
g/mL) and
Pseudallescheria boydii (MIC = 78.1
g/mL). A combination of the dialdehyde sesquiterpenes with dillapiol showed a synergistic antifungal effect with
1and an additive effect with
4 and
5.