Phytochemicals with antifungal properties: Cure from nature
Amal A.M. Elgharbawy, Nurhusna Samsudin, F. F. Benbelgacem, Yumi Zuhanis Has-Yun Hashim, Hamzah Mohd. Salleh, Jacinta Santhanam
Abstract
The exploration of natural products with innovative uses is dynamic and expanding rapidly. Medicinal plants have fascinated many researchers that subsequently lead to research publications highlighting plant extracts with wide range of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, quinones, terpenoids, tannins and saponins that exhibit antimicrobial activities and disease control. The concentration of these bioactive compounds in each plant species varies based on the pathosystem and environmental conditions. This study aims to uncover the various types of phytochemicals with antifungal properties. Methodology and results: Seven categories of plant-based antifungal compounds were reviewed, which are terpenoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, coumarins, alkaloids, essential oils and peptides, with examples and structures of some available compounds. The mechanism of action of each category of phytochemical was discussed. Also, the impact of some compounds was explained and elaborated.