Recent advances in natural antifungal flavonoids and their derivatives

Abstract

The resistance of pathogenic fungi and failure of drug therapy increased dramatically. Numerous studies have reported the individual or synergistic antifungal potency of natural and synthesized flavonoids, especially against drug-resistant fungi. This brief review summarizes the structure and individual or synergistic antifungal activity of natural and synthesized flavonoids (literatures mainly cover the past 10 years 2009-2019), with a special focus on the antifungal spectra, structure-activity relationship and mechanisms of actions. These may contribute to a better understanding of flavonoids as multi-target agents in the treatment of mycoses and provide some ideas on the development of novel flavonoids-based antifungals.

Keywords: Antifungal agents; Chalcones; Flavonoids; Mechanism of action; Structure-activity relationship; Synergy.