Organic compounds isolated from Juniperus brevifolia bark

10º Encontro Nacional de Química Orgânica e 1º Simpósio Luso-Brasileiro de Química Orgânica, Lisboa, 4-6 Setembro de 2013

In continuation of our study on the chemical characterization of endemic plants of the Azores archipelago, we have examined Juniperus brevifolia. Our interest in this plant was stimulated by the wide range of biological activities reported for other species of this genus and/or of their constituents. Previous work showed that leaves extracts, for instance dichloromethane extract and chloroform-soluble fraction of the acetone extract, showed high activity against HeLa and Hep-2 tumour cell lines. Chemical investigation of these extracts afforded more than thirty compounds, mainly abietane and pimarane derivatives, eight of them were new natural compounds and other exhibit interesting antitumor activity.These findings prompted us to study bark extracts.

Thanks are due to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), the European Union, QREN, FEDER, COMPETE, for funding the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (QOPNA) (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2011) and the Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN). M. Martins is grateful to CNPq, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Brasil, for the scholarship granted.