Antimicrobial polyacetylenes from Panax ginseng hairy root culture.

Two new polyacetylenes, 1-hydroxydihydropanaxacol (3) and 17-hydroxypanaxacol (4), were isolated from Panax ginseng hairy root culture, along with dihydropanaxacol (1), panaxacol (2) and ginsenoyne D (5). Highly hydroxylated compounds 1-4 were isolated from the medium and compound 5, which was a biosynthetic precursor of compound 1, was isolated from the roots. Compounds 1-4 showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. It is suggested that P. ginseng plants release antimicrobial polyacetylenes into the surrounding soil from the roots as defense compounds.