Volume 68, Issue 5-6

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Sorindeia juglandifolia A. Rich. led to the isolation and identifi cation of a new C-glucosylfl avone, 2´´,6´´-di-O-acetyl-7-O-methyl vitexin (1), together with seven known compounds, 2´´-O-acetyl-7-O-methyl vitexin (2), mearnsitrin (3), robustafl avone (4), 3-O-galloyl catechin (5), tachioside (2-methoxy-benzene-1,4-diol-1- O-β-glucopyranoside) (6), 3β-O-D-glucopyranosyl-β-stigmasterol (7), and methyl gallate (8). The structures of 1 and the known compounds were established by IR, UV, MS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectra and by comparison with those of related compounds.

The aerial parts of Inula verbascifolia afforded two new guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactones. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, DEPT, 1 H- 1 H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC).

Linalool is a monoterpene alcohol and constituent of several Brazilian aromatic medicinal plants, popularly used against hypertension. Cardiovascular effects induced by linalool were evaluated. In normotensive rats, (±)-linalool [1, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight (BW); intravenous (i.v.)]-induced hypotension was associated with tachycardia, which was attenuated by atropine (2 mg/kg BW) and N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (20 mg/kg BW), but was not modified after indomethacin (5 mg/kg BW) administration. In hypertensive rats, linalool [200 mg/kg BW; oral (v.o.)] reduced blood pressure without changing the heart rate. In intact rings of rat mesenteric artery precontracted with 10 μM phenylephrine, linalool (from 6.4 · 10 - 6 to 6.4 · 10 - 3 M) induced relaxations in a concentration-dependent manner [E max = (115 ± 13)%] that were not changed after atropine administration [E max = (105 ± 2)%], and were not different from those obtained in endothelium-denuded rings precontracted with phenylephrine [E max = (108 ± 7)%] or 80 mM KCl [E max = (113 ± 7)%] or tetraethylammonium incubation [E max = (105 ± 12)%]. Linalool (1.9 · 10 - 3 M) antagonized the contractions induced by CaCl 2 (3 · 10 - 6 - 10 - 2 M) (maximal inhibition, 81%). Furthermore, linalool inhibited the contractions induced by 10 μM phenylephrine or 20 mM caffeine. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that linalool reduces blood pressure probably due to a direct effect on the vascular smooth muscle leading to vasodilation.

The present study explores the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects in culture assays of two fruticose soil lichens, Cladonia rangiformis Hoffm. and Cladonia convoluta (Lamkey) Cout., to contribute to possible pharmacological uses of lichens. In vitro antimicrobial activities of methanol and chloroform extracts against two Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli), two Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus), and the yeast Candida albicans were examined using the paper disc method and through determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The data showed the presence of antibiotic substances in the chloroform and the methanol extracts of the lichen species. The chloroform extracts exhibited more signifi cant antimicrobial activity than the methanol extracts. However, a higher antifungal activity was noted in the methanol extract of C. rangiformis. The maximum antimicrobial activity was recorded for the chloroform extract of C. convoluta against E. coli. The cytotoxic effects of the lichen extracts on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were evaluated by the trypan blue assay yielding IC 50 values of ca. 173 and 167 μg/ml for the extracts from C. rangiformis and C. convoluta, respectively.

The extracts of several plants of Central Chile exhibited anti-Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes activity. Most active extracts were those obtained from Podanthus ovatifolius, Berberis microphylla, Kageneckia oblonga, and Drimys winteri. The active extract of Drimys winteri (IC 50 51.2 μg/mL) was purifi ed and three drimane sesquiterpenes were obtained: polygodial, drimenol, and isodrimenin. Isodrimenin and drimenol were found to be active against the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi with IC 50 values of 27.9 and 25.1 μM, respectively.

The relative lack of specifi city of atropine as a competitive antagonist of muscarinic receptors is a frequent cause of undesirable parasympathetic side effects. Consequently, new tropane alkaloids with potentially greater selectivity are usually seen with real interest. The cholinergic antagonistic effects of a purifi ed mixture of tropane alkaloids extracted from Schizanthus hookeri were evaluated in rat ileum. For this purpose, ileal segments were obtained from randomly selected male Sprague-Dawley rats, and the effect of 1 · 10 −4 , 1 · 10 −3 , and 1 · 10 −2 mg/mL of the purifi ed mixture of alkaloids on the contractile response of the ileum induced with increasing doses of carbachol (5 · 10 −8 − 8 · 10 −4 M) was determined. The results were compared with those obtained in the presence of 3.46 · 10 −7 , 3.46 · 10 −6 , and 3.46 · 10 −5 mg/mL atropine as an agonist. Tropane alkaloids extracted from Schizanthus hookeri competitively antagonized acetylcholine muscarinic receptors.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDITOF MS) has been applied for the first time to the analysis of the sucrose esters from the surface of Nicotiana L. leaves. The profiles obtained for the model plant N. tabacum were similar to those from the gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis. The most reproducible results were obtained using a dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) matrix. The main advantage of this method is that crude plant extracts can be analysed without sample clean-up. GC-MS analysis of Aztec tobacco (N. rustica) extracts revealed the presence of three types of sucrose esters. All identified compounds had three C 4 − C 8 acyl chains substituting the glucose moiety, while the fructose part of the molecule was substituted with 0, 1, or 2 acetyl groups. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the sucrose ester fraction revealed the presence of compounds not eluting from a GC column. Combining the data from both GC-MS and MALDI-TOF MS experiments, we obtained a full sucrose ester profile, which is based on the molecular weight of the compounds and on the number of acyl chains in the molecule.

Enniatins are cyclic depsipeptides produced by fungi of the genus Fusarium that are of interest due to their pronounced biological activities; especially enniatins A, A 1 , B, and B 1 possess anticarcinogenic and anti-HIV properties. In the present study, F. tricinctum was grown on seven solid media and in one liquid growth medium with or without addition of peptone or of amino acid precursors in order to identify favourable media with simple cultivation conditions for maximum enniatin production. Additionally, the optimal duration of growth was investigated for the highest yields of enniatins. From the different media analysed, white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, solid medium) induced the highest accumulation of enniatins A, A 1 , B, and B 1 , that reached a maximum of 1,365 mg total enniatins in 1 L growth medium after 18 days of fermentation. Fermentation of F. tricinctum on white beans gave the highest yield of enniatins compared to all other media analysed in this study.

Out of 24 fungal strains tested for their ability to transform 8-prenylnaringenin, Syncephalastrum racemosum was found to convert this phytoestrogen to a sulfate derivative. The conjugation with sulfuric acid observed in this study is paralleled in mammals indicating that microbes can be used to mimic mammalian metabolism.

Five compounds known to be pheromone components of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Cerambycinae were fi eld-tested as attractants and possible pheromones for the cerambycid fauna of Hungary. Nine cerambycid species were caught in baited traps. Large numbers of both sexes of the cerambycine species Molorchus umbellatarum Schreb. were caught in traps baited with (2R*,3S*)-octanediol, while the diastereomeric (2R*,3R*)-octanediol was to some extent attractive as well. This is the fi rst report on an aggregation attractant and a likely pheromone for a species in the cerambycine tribe Molorchini. The results of our study support the hypothesis that the diol/hydroxyketone pheromone motif is characteristic of and highly conserved within the subfamily Cerambycinae. Intraspecifi c chemical communication is summarized for the subfamily Cerambycinae, and possible links between taxonomy, insect behaviour, and pheromone structures are described

Chlorophorus caragana is an important wood-boring pest that infests Caragana korshinskii. The larvae bore into the stems to the point of hollowing them out, causing the whole tree to wither and even die. To control these infestations, volatile compounds were collected from C. korshinskii and used in electroantennography to ascertain which plant semiochemicals could be used to trap adult C. caragana in the fi eld. Isophorone, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, 3-pentanone, dibutyl phthalate, and diisobutyl phthalate were the main volatile compounds produced by C. korshinskii. These compounds induced dose-dependent electrophysiological responses in the antennae of adult C. caragana to some degree. Accordingly, 58 different compound mixtures were tested in fi eld trapping experiments over two consecutive years. Isophorone was most attractive to adult insects. In the fi eld, the best traps were funnelshaped ones hanging at a height of 1 m. The trapping effi ciency was 63.8%. Adult beetles appear between mid June and late August, with an eclosion peak in mid July. The prototype trapping system developed could be used as a tool to monitor and control C. caragana adults.

Chemical signals have an important role in the reproductive behaviour of many lizards. However, the compounds secreted by their femoral or preanal glands, which may be used as sexual signals, are mainly known for lizard species within the Scleroglossa clade, whereas compounds in secretions of lizards within the Iguania clade are much less studied. Based on mass spectra, obtained by GC-MS, we found 60 lipophilic compounds in preanal gland secretions of the male tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) (fam. Agamidae), including steroids (mainly cholesterol, cholest-3-ene, and some of their derivatives), fatty acids ranging between n-C 12 and n-C 18 (mainly hexadecanoic and octadecenoic acids), ketones from n-C 17 to n-C 25 , and other minor compounds, such as tocopherol, squalene, waxy esters, and furanones. We compare the compounds found with those present in other lizard species and discuss their potential function in social behaviour