Antiviral and antifungal activities of some naphthoquinones isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon

• Published in: Journal of Pesticide Science Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 54 - 57
• Main Authors: Li, C. (Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo (Japan)), Fukushi, Y, Kawabata, J, Tahara, S, Mizutani, J, Uyeda, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Pesticide Science Society of Japan 01.01.1998; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES; ANTIVIRAL; ANTIVIRAL AGENTS; AROMATIC COMPOUNDS; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical control; CLADOSPORIUM; COMPOSE AROMATIQUE; COMPUESTOS AROMATICOS; Control; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Generalities. Techniques. Transmission, epidemiology, ecology. Antiviral substances, control; LITHOSPERMUM ERYTHRORHIZON; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; PIGMENT; PIGMENTOS; PIGMENTS; Plant viruses and viroids; PROPIEDADES ANTIMICOSICAS; PROPRIETE ANTIFONGIQUE; QUINONAS; QUINONE; QUINONES; RACINE; RAICES; ROOTS; TOBACCO MOSAIC TOBAMOVIRUS; TOBAMOVIRUS DEL MOSAICO DEL TABACO; TOBAMOVIRUS MOSAIQUE DU TABAC; VIRICIDAS; Plant pathogen; Tobamovirus; Lithospermum erythrorhizon; Biochemistry; Pesticide crop; Nicotiana tabacum; Screening test; Medicinal plant; Fungi; Antifungal agent; Cladosporium herbarum; Tobacco mosaic virus; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Botany; Antiviral; Aromatic compound; Fungi Imperfecti; Solanaceae; Phytopharmacology; Thallophyta; Biochemical analysis; Bioassay; Root; Mycology; Naphthoquinone derivatives; Boraginaceae; Biological activity; Virology; Virus; Biological compound; Test plant; Plant origin; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0385-1559; 1348-589X; 1349-0923
• DOI: 10.1584/jpestics.23.54

The roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. (Boraginaceae) contain shikonin and its esters as purple pigments. From ancient times, these pigments have been well known to have anti-inflammatory, super(1)) antibacterial super(2,3)) and anti-tumor promoting activities. super(4)) During the screening tests checking antiviral and antifungal activities of natural products from medicinal plants, we have found these pigments with antiviral and antifungal activities. Nine kinds of compounds, (1) deoxyshikonin, (2) isovalerylshikonin, (3) alpha -methylbutyrylshikonin, (4) beta , beta -dimethylacrylylshikonin, (5) isobutyrylshikonin, (6) propionylshikonin, (7) acetylshikonin, (8) shikonin, and (9) beta -hydroxyisovalerylshikonin were isolated and identified. All isolated compounds were tested for antiviral and antifungal activities.