Cytotoxicity of triterpenoid saponins. Part 2: Relationships between the structures of glycosides of polygalacic acid and their activities against pathogenic Candida species.

Glycosides of polygalacic acid (2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23-tetrahydroxy-olean-12-ene-28-oic acid) is isolated from the aerial parts of Solidago virgaurea L. subsp. virgaurea, Heteropappus altaicus (Willd.) Novopokr. and Heteropappus biennis (Ldb.) Tamamsch. or produced by degradation of these genuine saponins were tested against humanpathogenic strains of Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei and C. tropicalis using a micro-dilution assay. The antifungal action can be influenced the variation of the etherglycosidically bonded carbohydrate units at C-3 as well as of the acylglycosidically bonded oligosaccharide at C-28 of the aglycone.