Plant pathogenic fungi are a major cause of reduced plant production and post-harvest losses of
plant produce. The control of these fungi by some synthetic fungicides is complicated by human
and environmental toxicity, the development of resistance by some fungi and high costs, thus
prompting the investigation of other means of fungal control. Plant secondary metabolites have a
good potential as antifungal agents. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential use of
Tecoma stans as a plant-derived fungicide by determining the antifungal activity of extracts, isolating
the bioactive compound and testing the toxicity of both the extract and the isolated compound. In
bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaves of the Tecoma stans dichloromethane (DCM) extract
contained one major compound that was isolated and characterised as oleanolic acid. The DCM
extract and oleanolic acid were active against 10 tested plant fungal pathogens (Aspergillus niger,
Aspergillus parasiticus, Collectotrichum gloeosporoides, Fusarium oxysporium, Penicillum expansum,
Penicillum janthinellum, Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora nicotiana, Trichoderma harzianum and
Rhizoctonia solani) with an average minimal inhibitory concentration of 130 μg/mL. The DCM
extract and oleanolic acid were toxic to Vero cells with an LC50 of 0.413 mg/mL and 0.129 mg/mL
respectively, when compared with berberine, a toxic compound with LC50 of 15.48 μg/mL.
Oleanolic acid was more toxic than the crude extract, supporting the potential use of plant extracts
for controlling plant fungal pathogens. The selectivity indices of 20 with several fungi indicated
that extracts could possibly be used under controlled conditions against infections of certain fungal
pathogens, even on edible plants. The large quantities available of this invasive plant species could
lead to a commercially useful product in controlling plant fungal pathogens.
RESEARCH CORRELATION : This article is the translated version, made available to provide access
to a larger readership, of which the original English article is available here: https://doi.
org/10.4102/satnt.v36i1.1496
Fungi wat plante aanval lei tot groot verliese in
plantproduktiwiteit en ook tot verliese in opbrengs nadat die produkte geoes is. Die beheer van
hierdie fungi deur chemiese fungisiede lewer komplikasies vanweë menslike en omgewingstoksisiteit
Die koste en die ontwikkeling van weerstand deur plant patogeniese fungi teen fungisiede lewer
ook probleme. Sekondêre plantmetaboliete het ‘n goeie potensiaal as antifungusverbindings. Die
doel van die studie was om die aktiwiteit van Tecoma stans ekstrakte en fraksies te bepaal en om die
aktiewe verbinding te isoleer deur die bioaktiwiteit van fraksies gedurende die fraksionering te
bepaal. Die dichlorometaanfraksie het die hoogste aktiwiteit gehad en die geïsoleerde verbinding
se struktuur is bepaal as oleanoliese suur. Die antifungus aktiwiteit is bepaal teen tien belangrike
plant fungus patogene (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus parasiticus, Collectotrichum gloeosporoides,
Fusarium oxysporium, Penicillum expansum, Penicillum janthinellum, Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora
nicotiana, Trichoderma harzianum en Rhizoctonia solani). Die gemiddelde minimum inhiberende
konsentrasie was 130 μg/mL. Die DCM ekstrak en oleanoliese suur was minder toksies as die
positiewe kontrole berberien teen Vero selle met LC50 waardes van 0.413 mg/mL, 0.129 mg/mL en
15.48 μg/mL respektiewelik. Die selektiwiteitindeks van 20 met verskeie fungi dui op moontlike
relatiewe veiligheid om onder gekontroleerde toestande selfs vir eetbare produkte te gebruik. Die
groot massa plantmateriaal wat beskikbaar is van hierdie indringerplant mag tot ‘n kommersieel
bruikbare produk lei in die bekamping van fitopatogeniese fungi.
NAVORSING KORRELASIE : Hierdie artikel is die vertaalde weergawe en is beskikbaar gestel om ‘n
breër lesersgroep te bereik. Die oorspronklike Engelse artikel is beskikbaar hier: https://doi.
org/10.4102/satnt.v36i1.1496
