Volume 60, Issue 5-6

The chemical composition of the hips essential oils of 9 taxa of Rosa L. was analyzed and compared using the standardized analytical GC and GC/MS methods. The volatile hips oil compositions for these species are presented. All oil samples were dominated by following components: vitispiran (isomer), α-E-acaridial, dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, docosane (C22), β-ionone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 2-heptanone, heptanal, myristic acid and linolic acid. Statistical analyses of 97 GC peaks of these oils were used to distinguish compositional patterns. There appeared to be correlation between the essential oil patterns and the classification within Rosa L. Cluster analysis of the composition of main components clearly showed two groups, one constituted by R. rugosa Thunb. from the Cinnamomea section, and the other constituted by the remaining taxa from the Caninae section.

Flavonol glycosides were extracted from petals of Rosa damascena Mill. after industrial distillation for essential oil recovery and characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Among the 22 major compounds analyzed, only kaempferol and quercetin glycosides were detected. To the best of our knowledge, the presence of quercetin 3-O-galactoside and quercetin 3-O-xyloside has so far not been reported within the genus Rosa. In addition, based on their fragmentation patterns, several acylated quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, some of them being disaccharides, were identified for the first time. The kaempferol glycosides, along with the kaempferol aglycone, accounted for 80% of the total compounds that were quantified, with kaempferol 3-O-glucoside being the predominant component. The high flavonol content of approximately 16 g/kg on a dry weight basis revealed that distilled rose petals represent a promising source of phenolic compounds which might be used as functional food ingredients, as natural antioxidants or as color enhancers.

Bioassay-directed fractionation for the determination of antimicrobial activity of Uncaria tomentosa, has led to the isolation of isopteropodine (0.3%), a known Uncaria pentacyclic oxindol alkaloid that exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria.

Secondary metabolites, DIBOA, HBOA, 7-OH-HBOA, BOA and gallic acid, were isolated and quantified from Calceolaria thyrsiflora Graham, a native medicinal plant of Chile belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. The highest DIBOA contents were determined in leaves (145 mmol kg -1 dry wt) and flowers (161 mmol kg -1 dry wt). Antibacterial activities of DIBOA, HBOA, BOA, gallic acid and infusions of flowers and leaves were determined. The phytomedicinal properties attributed to C. thyrsiflora Graham could be understood on the basis of its antibacterial activity

Capraria biflora L. (Scrophulariaceae) is a perennial shrub widely distributed in several countries of tropical America. The present work verified the cytotoxic and antioxidant potential of biflorin, an o-naphthoquinone isolated from C. biflora collected in the northeast region of Brazil. The cytotoxicity was tested on three different animal cell models: mouse erythrocytes, sea urchin embryos and tumor cells, while the antioxidant activity was assayed by the thiocyanate method. Biflorin lacked activity on mouse erythrocytes as well as on the development of sea urchin eggs, but strongly inhibited the growth of all five tested tumor cell lines, especially the skin, breast and colon cancer cells with IC 50 of 0.40, 0.43 and 0.88 μg/ml for B16, MCF-7 and HCT-8, respectively. Biflorin also showed potent antioxidant activity against autoxidation of oleic acid in a water/alcohol system.

Cyanidin-3-glycosides (arabinoside, rutinoside, galactoside and glucoside) and delphinidin- 3-rutinoside were examined for their ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation induced either by Fe(II) ions, UV irradiation or 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) peroxyl radicals in a liposomal membrane system. The antioxidant abilities of anthocyanins were compared with a water-soluble tocopherol derivative, trolox. The antioxidant efficacies of these compounds were evaluated by their ability to inhibit the fluorescence intensity decay of the extrinsic probe 3-[p-(6-phenyl)-1,3,5,-hexatrienyl] phenylpropionic acid, caused by the free radicals generated during peroxidation. All the anthocyanins tested (at concentrations of 15-20 μm) exhibited higher antioxidant activities against Fe(II)-induced peroxidation than UV- and AAPH-induced peroxidation, suggesting that metal chelation may play an important role in determining the antioxidant potency of these compounds. It was also found that delphinidin-3-rutinoside had a higher antioxidant activity against Fe(II)-induced liposome oxidation than cyanidin-3-rutinoside, which indicates an important role of the OH group in the B ring of delphinidin-3-rutinoside in its antioxidant action. The antioxidant activity of all the anthocyanins studied was higher than that of trolox in the case of Fe(II)-induced liposome oxidation and was comparable with the action of trolox in the case of UV- and AAPHinduced liposome membrane oxidation.

This paper shows the influence of benzenic groups on the chitosan surface for the separation of bioactive biflavonoids from Rheedia gardneriana leaves. The yield of the biflavonoids using chitin modified with benzaldehyde (CH-Bz) as adsorbent in column chromatography was higher than that achieved with silica gel and chitosan. The presence of benzenic groups decreases the polarity of chitosan and consequently the interaction of hydrogen bonding between phenolic hydroxyl (OH) of biflavonoids and amine groups of the adsorbent. Therefore, the separation of these compounds appears to be the result of hydrophobicity and π-π interaction among electrons from the aromatic ring in sorbent and biflavonoid molecules.

The essential oil obtained from roots of different collections of Ligusticum mutellina was tested against 3rd instar armyworms, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), for insecticidal activity. The main compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated using 2D-NMR techniques. Our collections contained dillapiole, ligustilide and myristicin as major compounds. The previously reported sarisan was not present, moreover its occurrence in L. mutellina should be revised based on our findings.

Six functionalized 1,3-dienes were synthesized using cross-coupling reactions, catalyzed by palladium complexes, between alkenylboronic acids and α-bromo-α,β-unsaturated carbonylic compounds. Their cytotoxicity against epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and fibroblastic Vero cells was evaluated, using concentrations ranging from 100 μm to 2.5 mм in experiments with three incubation times (4, 8 and 16 h). These tests were performed using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] colorimetric bioassays and its further reduction to formazan, according to the viability of the parasites and cells. With the exception of (5E,6E)-5-benzylidene-2-methylundec-6-en-4-one, all compounds were cytotoxic to both Trypanosoma cruzi and Vero cells, however differential values of IC 50 were observed for two of these compounds. A possible structure-activity relationship is discussed.

A series of new aminoalkane- and aminofluorenephosphonates was synthesized for agrochemical application. The particular compounds had different alkyl substituents at the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus atoms. Their pesticidal activity was checked by applying various experimental methods. These included the measurements of compounds’ potency: to inhibit growth of cucumber and germination of white mustard seeds, to influence on the membrane potential of algae and to damage human erythrocyte membranes resulting in hemolysis. All the aminophosphonates were also used in equimolar binary mixtures with the well-known herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), to check, if using such mixtures, the biological efficiencies found for particular compounds could be enhanced due to interactions between aminophosphonates and 2,4-D. The results demonstrated, that depending on the structural features of the compounds, the final effects differed from antagonistic, through additive to the most promising synergistic ones. However, the type of interaction between 2,4-D and the compounds studied found in different experiments was somewhat different. In order to estimate those effects various statistical methods were used (toxic unit method, isobole method).

The resistance mechanism of vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) to atrazine was investigated to evaluate its potential for phytoremediation of environment contaminated with the herbicide. Plants known to metabolise atrazine rely on hydroxylation mediated by benzoxazinones, conjugation catalyzed by glutathione-S-transferases and dealkylation probably mediated by cytochromes P450. All three possibilities were explored in mature vetiver grown in hydroponics during this research project. Here we report on the chemical role of benzoxazinones in the transformation of atrazine. Fresh vetiver roots and leaves were cut to extract and study their content in benzoxazinones known to hydroxylate atrazine, such as 2,4-dihydroxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)- one (DIBOA), 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA) and their mono- and di-glucosylated forms. Identification of benzoxazinones was performed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and comparison of retention factors (Rf) and UV spectra with standards: although some products exhibited the same Rf as standards, UV spectra were different. Furthermore, in vitro hydroxylation of atrazine could not be detected in the presence of vetiver extracts. Finally, vetiver organs exposed to [ 14 C]-atrazine did not produce any significant amount of hydroxylated products, such as hydroxyatrazine (HATR), hydroxydeethylatrazine (HDEA), and hydroxy-deisopropylatrazine (HDIA). Altogether, these metabolic features suggest that hydroxylation was not a major metabolic pathway of atrazine in vetiver.

In this study, photochemical and antioxidant responses of the monocotyledonous resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa Baker and the crab grass Digitaria sanguinalis L. under water deficit were investigated as a function of time. Water deficit was imposed by withholding irrigation for 21 d. Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence analyses indicated that the dehydration treatment caused photoinhibition in both species. The reduction in the photosynthesis rate in both species during water deficit probably contributed to the decline in the photochemical efficiency of PSII and electron transport rate. However, the stomatal conductance of both species did not change during treatment whereas the intercellular CO 2 pressure increased after 10 d of water deficit treatment. These observations could be related to nonstomatal limitations. The increasing net transpiration rate of both species may have contributed to leaf cooling because of water limitations. Prolonged water deficit resulted in photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll (a + b) and carotenoids content loss in only D. sanguinalis. Both species especially D. sanguinalis had increased the level of anthocyanin after 15 d of treatment, possibly to prevent the damaging effect of photooxidation. The total SOD activity of D. sanguinalis was significantly different from X. viscosa during the treatment. The total peroxidase activity in D. sanguinalis was significantly higher than in X. viscosa. X. viscosa acclimated to water deficit with no ultimate apparent oxidative damage due to endogenous protective mechanisms of resurrection. In case of D. sanguinalis, water deficit induced considerable stress and possibly caused some oxidative damage, despite the upregulation of protection mechanisms.

The composition, main structural features and molecular properties of exopolysaccharides (EP) produced by Cryptococcus laurentii var. laurentii CCY 17-3-16 under optimal (EPo) and NaCl-stress conditions (EPs) as well as their subfractions isolated by gel chromatography were studied using chemical, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy methods. The results showed that under stress conditions the yeast produced EP with a lower content of protein and phosphorus. In comparison to EPo, the EPs exhibited a substantially larger proportion of high molecular mass populations. NMR analysis of EPs revealed a higher degree of branching with single xylose side chains of the heteromannan components. The increase of the molecular mass and degree of branching of the macromolecular chains of the heteromannan components might in part be related to the function of EPs to protect the yeast cells from water loss and maintain growth conditions under the salt stress.

Alkaloid profiles of root and shoot cultures, seedlings and mature plants were analysed by capillary GLC and GLC-MS. β-Carboline alkaloids, such as harmine, harmaline dominate in normal and root cultures transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes, as well as in roots and fruits of the plant. In shoots, flowers and shoot cultures quinoline alkaloids such as peganine, deoxypeganine, vasicinone and deoxyvasicinone widely replace the β-carboline alkaloids. In root cultures, the formation of β-carboline alkaloids can be induced by methyljasmonate and several other elicitors indicating that these alkaloids are part of the reactive chemical defence system of Peganum harmala.

Selective transformations of limonene by asco- and basidiomycetes were investigated. On the shake flask scale, Penicillium citrinum hydrated R-(+)-limonene to α-terpineol [83% regioselectivity (rs), more than 80 mg 1 -1 product yield], and Gongronella butleri catalysed the terminal oxidation to yield perillyl alcohol (60% rs, 16 mg 1 -1 ). On the laboratory bioreactor scale, Penicillium digitatum produced a peak concentration of 506 mg α-terpineol 1 -1 in the fed-batch mode, equivalent to a theoretical yield of 67%, and no volatile by-products were found. Fusarium proliferatum transformed R-(+)-limonene enantiospecifically to cis-(+)- carveol (98.6% ee, more than 35 mg 1 -1 product yield) and S-(-)-limonene predominantly to trans-(-)-carveol (96.3% ee). Pleurotus sapidus selectively dehydrogenised the accumulating trans-(-)-carveol to the corresponding enantiopure R-(-)-carvone. The results show that a careful selection of strain and bioprocess parameters may improve both the yield and the optical purity of a desired product.

Erythrina crista-galli (Fabaceae) is used in Argentinean ethnopharmacology as anti-inflammatory medication, narcotic, desinfectant, and for the treatment of wounds. The common name of the tree is “ceibo“ or coral tree. The dominating endophytes in E. crista-galli all belong to the genus Phomopsis as identified by microscopic features and the analysis of their ITS sequences. To investigate a possible contribution of Phomopsis spp. to the metabolites found in the plant, twelve different isolates were cultivated in different media. Besides several new metabolites a number of known compounds were detected: mellein, nectriapyrone, 4-hydroxymellein, scytalone, tyrosol, clavatol, mevinic acid, and mevalonolactone.

In a search for inhibitors of the inducible tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promoter activity and synthesis, a new chlorinated cyclopentenone was isolated from fermentations of the ascomycete Mollisia melaleuca. The structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques. The compound blocked the inducible human TNF-α promoter activity and synthesis with IC 50 -values of 2.5-5 μg/ml (8.1-16.1 μм). Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of TNF-α promoter activity is caused by an inhibition of the phosphorylation of the IϰB protein which prevents the activation of the transcription factor NF-ϰB. No cytotoxic, antibacterial and antifungal activities could be observed up to 100 μg/ml (323 μм) of the compound.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an economically important plant, valued all over the world. The existing variation among 16 promising cultivars as observed through differential rhizome yield (181.9 to 477.3 g) was proved to have a genetic basis using different genetic markers such as karyotype, 4C nuclear DNA content and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The karyotypic analysis revealed a differential distribution of A, B, C, D and E type of chromosomes among different cultivars as represented by different karyotype formulas. A significant variation of 4C DNA content was recorded in ginger at an intraspecific level with values ranging from 17.1 to 24.3 pg. RAPD analysis revealed a differential polymorphism of DNA showing a number of polymorphic bands ranging from 26 to 70 among 16 cultivars. The RAPD primers OPC02, OPA02, OPD20 and OPN06 showing strong resolving power were able to distinguish all 16 cultivars. The extent of genetic diversity among these cultivars was computed through parameters of gene diversity, sum of allele numbers per locus and Shannon’s information indices. Cluster analysis, Nei’s genetic similarity and genetic distances, distribution of cultivars into special distance classes and principal coordinate analysis and the analysis of molecular variance suggested a conspicuous genetic diversity among different cultivars studied. The genetic variation thus detected among promising cultivars of ginger has significance for ginger improvement programs.

Double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most serious DNA damage which, if unrepaired or misrepaired, may lead to cell death, genomic instability or cancer transformation. In human cells they can be repaired mainly by non-homologous DNA end joining (NHEJ). The efficacy of NHEJ pathway was examined in normal human lymphocytes and K562 myeloid leukemic cells expressing the BCR/ABL oncogenic tyrosine kinase activity and lacking p53 tumor suppressor protein. In our studies we employed a simple and rapid in vitro DSB end joining assay based on fluorescent detection of repair products. Normal and cancer cells were able to repair DNA damage caused by restriction endonucleases, but the efficiency of the end joining was dependent on the type of cells and the structure of DNA ends. K562 cells displayed decreased NHEJ activity in comparison to normal cells for 5′ complementary DNA overhang. For blunt-ended DNA there was no significant difference in end joining activity. Both kinds of cells were found about 10-fold more efficient for joining DNA substrates with compatible 5′ overhangs than those with blunt ends. Our recent findings have shown that stimulation of DNA repair could be involved in the drug resistance of BCR/ABL-positive cells in anticancer therapy. For the first time the role of STI571 was investigated, a specific inhibitor of BCR/ABL oncogenic protein approved for leukemia treatment in the NHEJ pathway. Surprisingly, STI571 did not change the response of BCR/ABL-positive K562 cells in terms of NHEJ for both complementary and blunt ends. Our results suggest that the various responses of the cells to DNA damage via NHEJ can be correlated with the differences in the genetic constitution of human normal and cancer cells. However, the role of NHEJ in anticancer drug resistance in BCR/ABL-positive cells is questionable.

A microwave-assisted hydrodistillation protocol was modified to extract essential oils from leaves of Salvia triloba L. and Laurus nobilis L. The essential oils of these plants are generally obtained by hydrodistillation or steam distillation. The volatile compounds obtained by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and hydrodistillation methods were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Both distillation methods and analytical results were compared. 1,8-Cineole (46.8-54.2%) was the main component in the leaf oils of both samples. Although the distillation was accomplished in a shorter time, oil yields and 1,8-cineole contents were slightly higher in the microwave- assisted hydrodistillation compared to usual hydrodistillation. Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation appears to be an effective method for the production of essential oils.

A protocol for micropropagation of Boswellia ovalifoliolata Bal & Henry (Burseraceae) was developed using cotyledonary nodal explant on Murashige and Skoog modified medium (MS). A comparative study of micropropagation with 6-benzyladenine, kinetin and thidiazuron along with 1-naphthalene acetic acid (0.054 μм) was conducted. The highest shoot multiplication (7.1 ± 0.2 shoots per node) was achieved in 50 d on MS supplemented with thidiazuron (2.72 μм). Excised shoot cuttings of 3.0 cm were placed on the MS basal medium supplemented with indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid alone and in combinations for rooting. Activated charcoal (100 mg l -1 ) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (40 mg l -1 ) were added to the medium to prevent browning of cultures. The regenerated plantlets have been successfully acclimatized and transferred to soil.

The percentage of podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and its congener lignans were measured by HPLC in Linum mucronatum ssp. mucronatum (Linaceae) fresh plant organs. The highest amounts of PTOX (0.595 ± 0.060% g/g dry wt) and 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (MPTOX) (1.491 ± 0.125% g/g dry wt) were found in the plant sexual organs. Whereas, the highest levels of β-peltatin, 5′-demethoxy-MPTOX and yatein were found in not developed buds, petals and sepals, respectively.