IN-VITRO ANTIFUNGAL AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF TRITERPENE SAPONOSIDES AND QUINOID PIGMENTS FROM LYSIMACHIA-VULGARIS L

Lysimachia vulgaris L. (Primulaceae) has been used in the folk medicin e of Europe and Asia in the treatment of fever, ulcers, diarrhoea and as an analgesic and antiinflammatory agent. From the underground parts of the plant a benzoquinone pigment and triterpene saponosides were i solated. Cytotoxic and antifungal activity of these compounds were tes ted in vitro against human and mouse melanoma cells and the yeast Cand ida albicans respectively. The results showed that saponoside B exerte d cytotoxicity especially towards human melanoma cells. The pigment wa s more active as an antifungal agent. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.