Phytochemical Profile and Preliminary Antifungal Activity of Wissadula periplocifolia (Malvaceae) Against Clinical Isolates of Sporothrix spp.

Background Sporotrichosis is an emerging subcutaneous mycosis caused by thermodimorphic fungi from the genus Sporothrix. It has become a major zoonosis in Latin America, especially in Brazil, due to domestic cat transmission. The increasing incidence, therapeutic limitations, and emerging antifungal resistance highlight the urgent need for new treatment alternatives. Wissadula periplocifolia , a plant with ethnopharmacological relevance and diverse phytochemical composition, has previously shown multiple pharmacological activities, but its antifungal potential has not been explored. Objective To evaluate the phytochemical composition and antifungal activity of Wissadula periplocifolia crude ethanolic extract (CEE), fractions, and isolated compounds against clinical isolates of Sporothrix spp. In both filamentous and yeast phases. Methods The chemical composition of W. periplocifolia CEE and fractions was analyzed by LC–MS. Antifungal activity was evaluated through determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Results LC–MS analysis revealed a chemically diverse profile in the CEE, including hydroxylated fatty acids and flavonoid derivatives such as 12-hydroxy-8,10-octadecadienoic acid (1), tamgermanetin (2), tiliroside (3), 4′-O-methyl isoscutellarein (4), 7,4′-di-O-methyl hypolaetin (5) and 3′-O-methyl-8-O-sulphate hypolaetin (6). The CEE and the dichloromethane fraction exhibited antifungal activity against Sporothrix spp. (MIC 0.78–6.25 mg/mL), with lower MIC values observed particularly for the yeast phase, whereas the isolated compounds showed no activity (MIC > 512 µg/mL). These findings suggest that the antifungal effect may be associated with the complex mixture of constituents present in the extracts. Conclusion The CEE and fractions of Wissadula periplocifolia exhibited antifungal activity against Sporothrix spp., representing the first report of antifungal activity of this species against this pathogen. These results support further investigations into the isolation of active compounds and the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of Wissadula periplocifolia as a source of antifungal agents for sporotrichosis.