Antifungal properties of pristimerin and celastrol isolated from Celastrus hypoleucus

Pristimerin and celastrol isolated from the roots of Celastrus hypoleucus (Oliv) Warb f argutior Loes exhibited inhibitory effects against diverse phytopathogenic fungi. Pristimerin and celastrol were found to inhibit the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn and Glomerella cingulata (Stonem) Spauld & Schrenk in vitro by 83.6 and 62.6%, respectively, at 10 mug ml(-1). Pristimerin showed good preventive effect (96.7% at 100 mug ml(-1)) and curative effect (66.5% at 100 mug ml(-1)) against wheat powdery mildew in vivo. For celastrol, the preventive and curative effects against wheat powdery mildew were 80.S and 45.4%, respectively, at 100 mugml(-1). (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.