Iridoids from Tocoyena formosa

The leaves of Tocoyena formosa afforded two antifungal iridoids α- and β-gardiol, and the new iridoids, mollugoside methyl ester and formosinoside. Formosinoside was characterized as its hexaacetyl derivative.

Lignoids; flavonoids and polyketides of Virola surinamensis

From the seeds of Virola surinamensis, which were collected near Altamira and near Maraba, Para State, Brazil, the following substances were isolated by chromatographic techniques: two dibenzylbutanediol lignans, dihydrocubebin and the new dihydrocubebin monolaurate, two furofuran lignans, sesamin and asarinin, three dibenzylbutyrolactol lignans, cubebin, β-O- methylcubebin and α-O-methylcubebin, one dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan, hinokinin, one aryltetralin neolignan, galbulin, two tetrahydrofuran neolignans, galgravin and the new 4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-3,4-methylenedioxy- 8.8',7.O.7'-neolignan, one flavone, tithonine, one isoflavone, irisolidone, and two new polyketides, 3-hydroxy-1-(15-phenylpentadecanoyl)-2,6- cyclohexanedione and 1-(5-phenylpentanoyl)-2,6-cyclohexanedione. Different chemical constitutions of the fruits from the two localities were observed.

Neolignans from leaves of Ocotea catharinensis

A hexane extract of Ocotea catharinensis leaves afforded, by chromatographic fractionation, 11 neolignans, eight of the benzofuran- type (including three new compounds) and three of the bicyclo[3.2.1] octane-type (including two new compounds).

Naphthopyranone glycosides from Paepalanthus bromelioides

Two new naphtho[2,3-C]pyran-1-one glycosides, paepalantine-9-O-β-D- glucopyranoside and paepalantine-9-O-β-D-allopyranosyl(1 → 6)glucopyranoside, were isolated from an ethanolic extract of capitula from Paepalanthus bromelioides and identified from their spectrometric data.

Influence of fertilizer on coumarin content and biomass production in Mikania glomerata sprengel

Mikania glomerata Sprengel leaf extracts have been used in cough syrup formulations due to the presence of active coumarin derivatives. Yields of such natural compounds in cultivated plants can be affected by several nutritional factors. To determine the effect of fertilization on biomass productivity, organ proportion and coumarin content, Mikania glomerata plants were submitted during one year to treatments with organic (humus or manure) and inorganic (different levels of nitrogen) fertilizers. Coumarin concentration was raised by organic fertilization, inorganic nutrients induced increased phytomass (stem and leaf) yield, however no fertilized plants showed enhanced leaf production.

Further sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids from Maytenus aquifolium

Two new sesquiterpene evoninate alkaloids, aquifoliunine E-III and aquifoliunine E-IV, were isolated from the root bark of Maytenus aquifolium. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including ES-MS.

nor-Lignans from the leaves of Styrax ferrugineus (Styracaceae) with antibacterial and antifungal activity

Chemical examination of the leaves of Styrax ferrugineus yielded 5-[3'-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)propyl]-7-methoxy-2-(3',4'-dime-thoxyphenyl) benzofuran, along with the known nor-lignans 5-(3'-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-2-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl) benzofuran, 5-(3'-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-2-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)benzofuran, 5-[3'-(β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)propyl]-7-methoxy-2-(3', 4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)benzofuran and the lignan, dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol. All arylpropanoids isolated showed antibacterial and antifungal activities. The structures of the isolates were established by spectroscopic analysis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Influência de cinco temperaturas de secagem no rendimento e composição do óleo essencial de citronela (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt)

The Influence of Drying Temperatures on the Yield Composition of Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) essential oil. The studies were carried out to establish more precise parameters for citronella (C. winterianus Jowitt) post-harvest, and to optimize drying time and essential oil quantitative/qualitative yield. Five treatments were designed (30°C, 40°C, 50°C, 60°C and 70°C), with 14 repetitions of the drying process and 12 of the essential oil extraction. Drying at 60°C gave the best results for drying time (48 hours until weight stabilization), and also for extracted oil quantity (1.228 ± 0.127% over dry weight). Essential oil content showed high quantitative variations. The main compound found was neral, except in the 50°C treatment, where citronelal was the main compound.

A computer-assisted approach for chemotaxonomic studies - Diterpenes in Lamiaceae

This paper describes a new computer approach for chemotaxonomic studies. The methodology employed enables the search for chemical substructures as taxonomic descriptors using all expert system built with plant natural products. The operation of the system was tested with diterpenes as taxonomic markers in Lamiaceae. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Microbial transformation of cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one, aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one and methyl ursolate by Mucor plumbeus ATCC 4740

The sesquiterpenes cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one (1) and aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one (squamulosone) (14) along with the triterpenoid methyl ursolate (21) were incubated with the fungus Mucor plumbeus ATCC 4740. Substrates 1, 14 and ursolic acid (20) were isolated from the plant Hyptis verticillata in large quantities. M. plumbeus hydroxylated 1 at C-12 and C-14. When the iron content of the medium was reduced, however, hydroxylation at these positions was also accompanied by epoxidation of the exocyclic double bond. In total nine new oxygenated cadinanes have been obtained. Sesquiterpene 14 was converted to the novel 2α,13-dihydroxy derivative along with four other metabolites. Methyl ursolate (21) was transformed to a new compound, methyl 3β,7β,21β-trihydroxyursa-9(11),12-dien-28-oate (22). Two other triterpenoids, 3β,28-dihydroxyurs-12-ene (uvaol) (23) and 3β,28-bis(dimethylcarbamoxy)urs-12-ene (24) were not transformed by the micro-organism, however. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-ulcerogenic and analgesic activities of the leaves of Wilbrandia ebracteata in mice

Wilbrandia ebracteata (Cogn.) Cogn. is a medicinal plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family used popularly as an antiulcer and analgesic medicine. The hydromethanol extract of leaves was investigated to determine its anti-ulcerogenic (ethanol and indomethacin induced gastric damage) and analgesic (writhing and tail-flick tests) activities in mice (efficacy), its acute toxicity (safety), and its phytochemistry (quality control). Oral administration of leaf extract at a dose of 1000 mg/kg body wt. significantly reduced 73.3% of the total area of lesion in ethanol-induced gastric damage, but was inactive in an indomethacin-induced gastric damage test. The hydromethanol extract was also inactive in both analgesic tests. Oral administration of the leaf extract did not produce mortality in mice, while the LD50 value of the roots was 22.10 mg/kg body wt. in female mice and 58.31 mg/kg body wt. in male mice. Leaves of W. ebracteata reacted positively for steroids, flavonols, flavanones, saponins, tannins and xanthones and negative for other compounds, including cucurbitacins. Leaf extract of W. ebracteata was active as an anti-ulcerogenic, probably through increasing gastric defensive factors, and flavonoids might be the main constituent responsible for this activity.

Iridoid glucosides from Randia spinosa (Rubiaceae)

An iridoid glucoside: randinoside, along with five known iridoids: galioside, deacetylasperulosidic acid methyl ester, scandoside methyl ester, geniposide and gardenoside, were isolated from the stems of Randia spinosa. The structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR techniques. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aryltetralone lignans and 7,8-seco-lignans from Holostylis reniformis

Aryltetralone lignans and two 7,8-seco-lignans were isolated from the acetone and hexane extracts of the roots of Holostylis reniformis, together with (-)-galbacin. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Das plantas medicinais aos fitofármacos

The plants, since the antiquity, have been a resource within reach of the human being. Along millenniums, the man empirically deepened its knowledge for the improvement in the alimentation and cure conditions of its illnesses, demonstrating a narrow relation between plant use and its own evolution. A lot of people described the herbs utilization like medication form in their records and manuscripts, but many centuries have been passed until the true power of the plants was recognized. The great discoveries of the active plants principles only were possible after technological advances for the isolation and structural elucidation. Several active substances with pharmacological activity, many times indicated by the popular use, were going proved scientifically. Nowadays, the man still seeks solutions for several diseases and health problems and maybe the plants can contribute of more significant way for resolve them.

Essential oil composition of Aloysia triphylla (L'Herit) Britton leaves cultivated in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

The family Verbenaceae comprises about 175 genera and 2300 species, distributed in tropics and subtropics, mainly in temperate zone of southern hemisphere. The lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla (L'Herit) Britton) is a perennial, bushy plant originally from South America. The essential oil of this plant is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and perfumery industry. Therapeutic properties include febrifuge, sedative, stomachical, diuretic, and antispasmodic activities. The present work aimed to identify the chemical composition of essential oil of Aloysia triphylla leaves. The study was done in Lageado Experimental Farm of the Department of Plant Production-Horticulture, Agronomical Sciences College, São Paulo State University Campus of Botucatu. Leaves of lemon verbena from Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Garden, were collected in the end of winter (September/2001). The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, in Clevenger apparatus. 100 g of leaves were used in each extraction. Four extractions were performed during three hours. The essential oils of the leaves were analyzed in Gas Chromatography Mass spectrometry (CG-MS, Shimadzu, QP-5000), equipped with capillary column DB-5 (30 m × 0,25 mm × 0,25 mm), split 1/35, injector for 220 C°, detector for 230 C°, dragged by gas He (1,0 mL/min), with programmed temperature for 60 C° to 240 C°, 3 C°/min. The identification of the substances was held by comparison of their mass spectra with data of the CG-MS (Nist 62 lib), literature references and retention index of Kovats. The main constituents of essential oils were geranial (29.54 %), neral (27.01 %), limonene (15.93 %), geranyl acetate (4.0 %) and geraniol (3.96 %). This species possesses high quantity of monoterpenes and low quantity of sesquiterpenes.