Antifungal and cytotoxic effects of cyanein derivatives

The effects of cyanein, tetrahydrocyanein and diacetyl-O-cyanein on the growth and morphology of fungi and HeLa cells were studied. The change of cyanein structure decreased its cytotoxic effect (HeLa cell) to approx. a half and the antifungal effect up to 100 times (Saccharomyces cerevisiae andEremothecium ashbyi). Cyanein caused characteristic changes in morphology ofBotrytis cinerea (“bulging effect”, branching of hyphae) andPaecilomyces viridis (branching of hyphase, yeast-like growth). Except for flexuose ofPaecilomyces viridis hyphae caused by diacetyl-O-cyanein the cyanein derivatives did not induce the above mentioned morphologic changes.