Anti- Sporothrix spp. activity of medicinal plants

ABSTRACT Cases of sporotrichosis in humans and animals without satisfactory clinical response have increased, a warning sign of strains resistant to conventional antifungal agents. The urgent search for alternative therapies was an incentive for research on medicinal plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. properties. A bibliographic survey was performed based on scientific papers about in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of essential oils and extracts of plants in differents solvents against the fungal of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. The study methodology consisted of a literature review in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, Bireme and Springer link with papers from 1986 to 2015. We found 141 species of plants that were investigated, of which 100 species were concentrated in 39 botanical families that had confirmed anti-Sporothrix activity. Combretaceae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae represented the botanical families with the greatest number of plants species with antifungal potential, using different methodologies. However, there are few studies with medicinal plants in experimental infection in animals that prove their activity in the treatment of sporotrichosis. It reinforces the need for further research related to standardization of in vitro methodologies and in vivo studies related to safety and to toxicity potential of these plants with anti-Sporothrix spp. activity.

摘要 人畜孢子丝菌病（sporotrichosis）临床疗效欠佳的病例数量逐年上升，这提示常规抗真菌药物耐药菌株已然出现，为值得警惕的信号。因此亟需寻找替代治疗方案，这推动了具有抗孢子丝菌属（Sporothrix spp.）活性的药用植物相关研究的开展。本研究开展了一项文献调研，系统梳理了探讨不同溶剂提取的植物精油及提取物对申克孢子丝菌复合体（Sporothrix schenckii complex）体内外抗真菌活性的科学文献；研究方法为对1986年至2015年间发表于Google Scholar、Science Direct、PubMed、Bireme及Springer Link的相关文献进行综述。本次调研共纳入141种受试植物，其中100种隶属于39个植物科，且均被证实具有抗孢子丝菌属活性。使君子科（Combretaceae）、菊科（Asteraceae）及唇形科（Lamiaceae）是拥有最多具抗真菌潜力植物物种的植物科，相关研究采用了不同的实验方法。然而，针对药用植物开展的、能证实其治疗孢子丝菌病疗效的动物实验感染研究仍较为匮乏。这进一步凸显了开展后续研究的必要性：包括体外实验方法的标准化，以及针对上述具有抗孢子丝菌属活性植物的安全性与潜在毒性的体内研究。