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The genus Flindersia comprises 17 species distributed in Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, and the Maluku Islands. With a variety of classes of secondary metabolites, including terpenes, alkaloids, lignans, flavonoids, coumarins, among other compounds, to date the genus has not been widely studied phytochemically, having more value in the timber industry. However, the objective of this review is to gather the necessary information for future research on this genus, for the inclusion of new chemical constituents and biological activities. Thus, we show that the genus Flindersia has more than 160 isolated or identified compounds. In addition, the alkaloids in this genus confer antimalarial activity.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the antifungal and antiparasitic activity of roots of Wunderlichia azulensis (Asteraceae). A CH2Cl2 partition of W. azulensis was tested against Candida tropicalis, C. buinensis and Trypanosoma cruzi parasites. A chemical study of the CH2Cl2 partition resulted in the isolation and identification of dehydrobrachylaenolide (1), lasiodiplodin (2), a taraxerane-type triterpene (3) and a mixture of sitosterol and stigmasterol (4–5). Of the 13 fractions tested, fractions 5 and 7 were the most bioactive ones. No live epimastigotes were observed even after the shortest time of exposure to fraction 7 (25 μg.mL−1/24 h). Fractions 5 and 7 inhibited yeast growth in proportions between 63.9–80.7% at 50 μg.mL−1, and 70.3–96.7% at 100 μg.mL−1. Fractions 5 and 7 (100 μg.mL−1) induced loss of viability of C. buinensis by 97.61 and 92.63%, respectively, whereas C. tropicalis was less susceptible. The SYTOX Green marker used on Candida yeasts suggested membrane permeabilization and consequently plasma membrane damage. We concluded that W. azulensis offers new sources of biologically-active components. However, complementary studies on other variables, such as synergy, toxicology, and mechanism of action, must be carried out.

A disponibilidade hídrica afeta a biossíntese de compostos voláteis, com efeito dependente de aspectos relacionados ao vegetal e ao manejo hídrico. A cebolinha (Allium fistulosum L.) é uma hortaliça condimentar amplamente utilizada na culinária mundial e seu aroma se deve à presença de compostos voláteis sulforados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos dos níveis de restrição hídrica sobre crescimento, fisiologia e produção de compostos voláteis em cebolinha. O experimento foi conduzido em ambiente protegido. Os tratamentos foram determinados de acordo com o fornecimento de água, relativos à reposição da água consumida tendo como referência o tratamento CONTROLE, i.e., reposição de 100% da água consumida (CONTROLE), reposição de 75% (MODERADO) e reposição de 50% (SEVERO). O experimento seguiu DIC, com unidades amostrais constituídas por três vasos com cinco plantas cada, e quatro repetições por tratamento. A colheita foi realizada aos 29 dias após início dos tratamentos. Foram avaliadas: taxa transpiratória, resistência estomática, temperatura foliar, massa fresca da parte área e da raiz, massa seca da parte aérea, número e diâmetro de perfilhos e a produção de compostos voláteis (hidrodestilação e análise GC-MS). O tratamento SEVERO resultou em aumento da temperatura foliar, redução da taxa transpiratória e maior resistência estomática. Quanto ao crescimento houve efeito da intensidade de estresse hídrico para o diâmetro de perfilhos, com redução significativa sob os tratamentos MODERADO e SEVERO. O composto dissulfeto de dipropenila foi negativamente influenciado pelo tratamento SEVERO. O diâmetro de perfilho mostrou-se como a característica mais sensível ao estresse hídrico.

O gênero Tabernaemontana, pertencente à família Apocynaceae, é constituído de aproximadamente 110 espécies. Dentre estas, a espécie, em estudo, Tabernaemontana catharinensis é conhecida popularmente no Brasil, como “leiteiro de vaca”. Essa espécie é especialmente rica em alcaloides indólicos, que são substâncias que possuem potenciais biológicos promissores, como a ação anticolinesterásica e antioxidante. O objetivo foi isolar, purificar e identificar alcaloides indólicos das cascas da raizes de Tabernaemontana catharinensis. O material vegetal foi seco à temperatura ambiente, moído e submetido a extração metanólica e, posteriormente, particionado com diclorometano/água. O estudo fitoquímico foi realizado por cromatografia em coluna e cromatografia de camada delgada analítica. O estudo da espécie T.catharinensis levou a identificação de quatro alcaloides: coronaridina (1), 12-metoxi-Nb-metilvoachalotina (2), 5,6-dioxoibogamina (3) e 19-(S)-heyneanina (4). A determinação estrutural dos compostos foi feita utilizando Ressonância Magnética Nuclear uni e bidimensional. Os alcalóides (3) e (4) estão sendo relatados pela primeira vez na espécie.

The aim of the present study was to verify the effect of the nutritional stress caused by macronutrient and boron deficiencies on the biosynthesis of capsaicinoids and the mineral nutrient contents...

Limonoids, present in the families Meliaceae and Rutaceae, provide the bitter principles in citrus and are derived from limonin (first isolated tetranortriterpenoid). These compounds are highly oxygenated triterpenoids that have lost the four carbon atoms of the side chain and they have attracted attention because they demonstrate several pharmacological activities. Especially in Meliaceae, the Trichilia genus, one of the largest, with 81 species, has long interested scientists due to its limonoids with different biological activities, such as insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic, among other activities. Based on this, an evaluation was performed of all naturally occurring limonoids from the Trichilia genus, as well as their various bioactivities. In total, 227 limonoids were identified in 21 species distributed in the American, African, and Asian continents. These were separated into three major groups: intact rings, ring-seco, and rearranged limonoids. The compounds with the intact and seco rings are present in greater quantity in the native species of America and Africa, since the rearranged limonoids are concentrated in the Asian species. Finally, a discussion was provided of their biological activities and biosynthesis.

A familia Rutaceae e conhecida por englobar generos representativos na sociedade em que vivemos e tambem por ser uma das familias de plantas mais versatil quimicamente. O genero Flindersia faz parte dessa familia e produzindo alcaloides e cumarinas como principais metabolitos secundarios, sendo as cumarinas identificadas como classe predominante na especie Flindersia brayleyana . As cumarinas destacam-se pelas diversas atividades biologicas importantes. Diante disso, programou-se como objetivo principal o isolamento e a caracterizacao estrutural dos metabolitos secundarios de Flindersia brayleyana . As estruturas dos compostos isolados foram elucidadas atraves da analise de espectros 1D e 2D de RMN 1 H e RMN 13 C e CG/EM, envolvendo comparacao com dados da literatura. Foram identificadas as cumarinas seselina ( 1 ), braylina ( 2 ), cedrelopsina ( 3 ), cis -6-metoxikellactona ( 4 ), 6-metoxilomatina ( 5 ) e brayleyanina ( 6 ).

Potassium (K) is one of the most required agricultural crop macronutrients, with potassium chloride being the most applied source. However, this fertilizer is not recommended for several crops due to its high chlorine content, promoting final product quality losses, thus being replaced by potassium sulphate. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the production and macronutrient, essential oil and linalool contents of coriander fruits submitted to different potassium sources and doses. The research was performed in a greenhouse, in plastic 46 kg boxes applying a mixture of soil and sand as substrate. The experimental design was of randomized blocks, applying a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with two potassium sources (potassium chloride and sulphate) at four doses (50, 100, 150 and 200 mg of K/kg substrate), performing four replicates. The highest fruit yields, and phosphorus and sulfur fruit contents were verified in plants fertilized with K2SO4. The application of increasing potassium doses, regardless of the source, resulted in increased K and decreased Ca contents and did not affect N and Mg fruit levels in the fruits. The highest essential oil concentration in fruits (0.15 g) and linalool in essential oils (0.42 mg) were verified when 153.8 and 131.3 mg of K/kg substrate using K2SO4 were applied, respectively.

Este trabalho descreve o estudo fitoquimico do extrato etanolico de folhas de Acacia polyphylla, levando ao isolamento e identificacao de cinco flavonoides (luteolina, isovitexina, quercetina 3-O-β-D-glicopiranosideo, quercetina 3-O-β-D-galactopiranosideo e vitexina-2'-O-ramnosideo), tres triterpenos (α-amirina, β-amirina e lupeol), quatro esteroides (estigmastenol, spinasterol, sitostanol e β-sitosterol) e um alcano (n-nonacosano). Todos os compostos foram identificados por uma combinacao de metodos espectroscopicos (RMN ¹H e CC, incluindo 2D e UV), CG-MS, UPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS e comparacao com dados da literatura. Na atividade antioxidante, teores de fenois totais, flavonoides totais e atividade sequestradora frente ao radical livre DPPH foram avaliados. A fracao acetato de etila apresentou o melhor resultado com valores de CE50 de 7,78±0,17 μg mL-1 e teores de fenois totais e flavonoides totais com valores de 563,28±1,13 EAG g-1 e 217±0,17 EQ g-1, respectivamente, sugerindo o potencial de A. polyphylla como fonte de antioxidantes.

Non-domesticated species may represent a treasure chest of defensive molecules which must be investigated and rescued. Clitoria fairchildiana R. Howard is a non-domesticated Fabacea, native from the Amazonian Forest whose seeds are exquisitely refractory to insect predation. Secondary metabolites from these seeds were fractionated by different organic solvents and the CH

New cycloartane, 22-hydroxy-25-hydroperoxycycloart-23

Ethnopharmacological relevance Different species of the Simaroubaceae family are used in traditional medicine to treat malaria. Among these is Homalolepis suffruticosa (syn. Simaba suffruticosa and Quassia suffruticosa), what is native to Central Brazil and popularly known as calunga. However, there is a lack of investigation concerning its antimalarial effects. Aim of the study To investigate the antiplasmodial and cytotoxic effects of the isolated metabolites and methanol extract from H. suffruticosa roots as well as to conduct the dereplication of this extract aiming to characterize its metabolic profile by UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Materials and methods Methanol extract of the H. suffruticosa roots and six isolated compounds from it were evaluated against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum W2 strain by the PfLDH method and cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells by the MTT assay. Dereplication of the extract was performed by UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Results The six isolated compounds disclosed high to moderate antiplasmodial activity (IC50 0.0548 ± 0.0083 μg/mL to 26.65 ± 2.40 μg/mL) and cytotoxicity was in the range of CC50 0.62 ± 0.33 μg/mL to 56.43 ± 2.54 μg/mL, while 5-metoxycantin-6-one proved to be the most potent constituent of the six assayed compounds. The methanol extract of the roots showed high in vitro antiplasmodial activity (IC50 1.88 ± 0.56 μg/mL), moderate cytotoxicity (CC50 41.93 ± 2.30 μg/mL), and good selectivity index (SI = 22.30). Finally, C20 quassinoids and canthin-6-one alkaloids were putatively identified in the H. suffruticosa methanol extract by LC-MS. Conclusions Taken together, the isolated compounds, mainly the 5-metoxycantin-6-one and the methanol extract from H. suffruticosa roots, disclose good antiplasmodial activity, supporting the ethnopharmacological history of the Simaroubaceae species as traditional antimalarial drugs.

The new alkene lactone, (3E)-5,6-dihydro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-3-docdecylidenefuran-3(4H)-one (1), named majoranolide B, and three alkene lactones known as majorenolide (2), majoranolide (3) and majorynolide (4) were obtained from the aerial parts of Persea fulva (Lauraceae). The structures were elucidated in light of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR (1H, 13C, 1H-1H-COSY, HMBC and HSQC) and HR-ESI-MS. These compounds were screened for their in vitro antiproliferative activity in rat C6 glioma and astrocyte cells using MTT assay and in silico by molecular docking against targets that play a central role in controlling glioma cell cycle progression. Majoranolide (3) is the most active compound with IC50 6.69 µM against C6 glioma cells, followed by the compounds 1 (IC50 9.06 µM), 2 (IC50 12.04 µM) and 4 (IC50 41.90 µM). The alkene lactones 1–3 exhibited lower toxicity in non-tumor cells when compared to glioma cells. Molecular docking results showed that majoranolide establishes hydrogen bonds with all targets through its α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactone moiety, whereas the long-chain alkyl group binds by means of several hydrophobic bonds. In the present study, it can be concluded from the anti-proliferative activity of isolates against C6 glioma cells that lactone constituents from P. fulva could have a great potential for the control of C6 glioma cells.

The chemical study of roots from Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Meliaceae, led to the isolation of two new terpenoids, limonoid morenolide and diterpene 17-hydroxy-sandaracopimar-8,15-dien-11-one, in addition to the four well-known limonoids nimbinene, nimbinal, nimbandiol and salannin, and three diterpenoids nimbidiol, ferruginol, and 6,7-dehydroferruginol. Their structural elucidations were based on one and bidimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry spectra data which was compared to the data found in literature. The anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antimycobacterial activities of the identified terpenoids were evaluated. Keywords: Meliaceae, Limonoids, Diterpenoids, Mycobacterium, Inflammation

Quassinoids are secondary metabolites that characteristically belong to the Simaroubaceae family. These compounds have called attention because they are responsible for a wide range of biological activities, many of which are extremely promising. The great majority of isolated quassinoids have basic skeleton C20. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the biological activities and compile the 13C NMR spectra data of quassinoids isolated after 1985, skeletal-type C20. The conclusion is that many C20 quassinoids appear to be promising antitumor and antimalarial agents. Besides that, different studies report several other biological activities of these compounds, as insecticidal, larvicidal, antileishmanial, antiviral, antiinflammatory activities, among others. From data compilation, it is concluded that 154 quassinoids were isolated and identified between 1985 and the present time and that there are eight types of skeletons that are more frequent for the ring A of quassinoids, and also eight different ring C skeletons. As far as the rings B and D are concerned, variation in C-15 was observed, which usually has no substituents oxidated by a free hydroxyl group, as well as esterification of the hydroxyl group.

New cycloartane, 22-hydroxy-25-hydroperoxycycloart-23E-en-3-one (1), along with six known analogues (2–7) and three steroids (8–10), were isolated from the leaves of Trichilia casaretti. Structures were elucidated mainly on the basis of the analysis of 1D and 2D NMR (1H and 13C) and HRESIMS spectroscopic data, involving comparison with data of the literature. The cytotoxic activities of 1–7 and 10 isolated compounds were also evaluated against human leukemia cell line Molt-4 (acute lymphoblastic) and exhibited good cytotoxic activity with IC50 values ranging from 10.62 to 21.14 μM.

Medicinal plants have been the focus of several studies due to their nematicide properties which can be used to control nematodes in sheep. No study has examined the morphological effects of Cymbopogon citratus on nematodes. Thus, this study evaluated the chemical composition, nematicidal activity and effects of C. citratus extracts on the morphology of eggs and infective larvae (L3) of sheep. Aqueous and methanolic extracts and fractions of C. citratus were obtained and analysed in vitro. The C. citratus extracts were effective against Haemonchus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. larvae and eggs. Ten fractions were obtained from C. citratus, six of which had high ovicidal activity at 1000 μg mL−1, and two fractions had high activity at all tested concentrations. The phytochemical analysis identified the presence of compounds such as terpenoids, various ketones, esters, and fatty acids. The ultrastructural analysis showed deformations of the cuticle and wilting along the body of the nematodes at all concentrations. The muscular layer, intestinal cells and the mitochondria profile showed damage compared to the typical pattern. Ultra-thin sections of eggs treated with methanolic fractions of C. citratus presented modifications. This study showed the biological activity and effects of C. citratus on the gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep.

Plants represent the main source of molecules for the development of new drugs, which intensifies the interest of transnational industries in searching for substances obtained from plant sources, especially since the vast majority of species have not yet been studied chemically or biologically, particularly concerning anti-inflammatory action. Anti-inflammatory drugs can interfere in the pathophysiological process of inflammation, to minimize tissue damage and provide greater comfort to the patient. Therefore, it is important to note that due to the existence of a large number of species available for research, the successful development of new naturally occurring anti-inflammatory drugs depends mainly on a multidisciplinary effort to find new molecules. Although many review articles have been published in this regard, the majority presented the subject from a limited regional perspective. Thus, the current article presents highlights from the published literature on plants as sources of anti-inflammatory agents.

The in vitro acaricide activity of hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Ocotea aciphylla leaves was investigated by means of an immersion tests using Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus engorged females and larvae. All extracts were shown effective against the different stages of the parasite, and the ethanol extract (50 mg/mL concentration) was the most active (more than 90% efficacy in both assays). The ethanolic extract was fractionated using column chromatography with silica gel as stationary phase to furnish several fractions that were tested against larvae of R. (B.) microplus. Three fractions showed high acaricidal activity (50 mg/mL), causing between 84.2% and 100% mortality of the larvae. The anticholinesterase effect of these fractions was determined spectrophotometrically using a microtiter assay. The chemical investigation of the active fractions led to the characterization of terpenoids (cadalene 1 and squalene 2), a phenylpropanoid (dillapiole 3) and a phenolic mixture containing five proanthocyanidins (4-8) and a flavonoid(vitexin-2”-O-rhamnoside 9). Our findings suggest that the O. aciphylla has potent acaricidal activity in vitro against R. (B.) microplus, and that different secondary metabolites are responsible for this effect.

A phytochemical study of leaves and twigs of Psychotria nuda resulted in 19 compounds, including five indole alkaloids, N,N,N-trimethyltryptamine, lyaloside, strictosamide, strictosidine, and 5&alpha, carboxystrictosidine, two flavonolignans, cinchonain Ia and cinchonain Ib, an iridoid, roseoside, a sugar, lawsofructose, a coumarin, scopoletin, a diterpene, phytol, three triterpenes, pomolic acid, spinosic acid, and rotungenic acid, and five steroids, sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, &beta, sitosterol-3-O-&beta, d-glucoside, and &beta, stigmasterol-3-O-&beta, d-glucoside. Some compounds were evaluated for their in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their ability to inhibit NO production by macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The compounds pomolic acid, spinosic acid, strictosidine, and 5&alpha, carboxystrictosidine displayed antimycobacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 7.1 to 19.2 &micro, g/mL. These compounds showed promising inhibitory activity against NO production (IC50 3.22 to 25.5 &mu, g/mL). 5&alpha, carboxystrictosidine did not show cytotoxicity against macrophages RAW264.7 up to a concentration of 100 &micro, g/mL. With the exception of strictosamide, this is the first report of the occurrence of these substances in P. nuda.

The fruit pulp extracts of the species Capsicum baccatum are associated with a number of phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to validate a bioanalytical method for the quantification of the chlorogenic acid present in the UENF 1613 de C. baccatum accession. The quantification was carried out through HPLC. The results obtained for the extract of C. baccatum indicated selectivity for chlorogenic acid. The values obtained for relative standard deviation, as well as for precision, in terms of repeatability and intermediate precision, did not exceed the maximum of 15% set in the criteria for the acceptance of bioanalytical methods. In terms of recovery, the accuracy rate for the phenolic compound of interest was from 77 to 93%. The validated method through external standardization was applied for the quantification of chlorogenic acid of the UENF accession.

The need to increase the product’s shelf life and the growing concern to minimize the use of synthetic products encouraged the researchers to evaluate the antioxidant activity and quantify phenolic compounds as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin and apigenin through the use of HPLC, in 29 accesses of Capsicum baccatum. Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum is one species of the Capsicum genus widely consumed in Brazil. It is the second largest pepper produced in the world. However, its chemical composition and mainly its extract antioxidant activity have been poorly reported in literature. In order to deepen the study of the access properties relating the antioxidant activity versus content of phenolic compounds. It is suggested that the BRS, 1643a, 1611 and 1613, accession could be used as natural antioxidants in the food industry.

Background: Psychotria species are known for their medicinal properties and psychoactive activities. Extracts of Psychotria suterella showed anti-tuberculosis (TB) activity; however, the substances related to this activity are unknown. Objectives: The objective was to study on the chemical constituents of the leaves of plant and evaluate the anti-TB and anti-inflammatory activity. Materials and Methods: Solvent extraction, partition, and column chromatography were used to separate the compounds. The structures of these compounds were determined by extensive one dimensional-and two dimensional-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, infrared and mass spectrometry spectroscopic analyses. Some compounds were evaluated for their in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their ability to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Results: This study led to the isolation and characterization of a new iridoid, named epi-geniposidic acid (1), together with nine known compounds: geniposidic acid (2), 3-O-acethyloleanolic acid (3), pomolic acid (4), spinolic acid (5), maslinic acid (6), tormentic acid (7), methyl oleanolate (8), lyalosidic acid (9), and strictosidinic acid (10). Triterpene 3-O-acethyloleanolic acid (3) was found to display antimycobacterial activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain and hypervirulent strain (minimum inhibitory concentration 6.7 ± 0.1 and 89.1 ± 1.3 μg/mL, respectively). Epi-geniposidic acid (1), geniposidic acid (2), and 3-O-acethyloleanolic acid (3) showed promising inhibitory activities against NO production (IC50 range 4.12–5.12 μg/mL). The iridoid mixture showed no cytotoxicity against RAW 264.7 macrophages up to a concentration of 100 μg/mL. Conclusion: P. suterella presents relevant biological properties and should be considered for further in vivo studies using a pulmonary TB model.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) (Poaceae) is an essential oil rich plant widely used as a flavoring due to its lemon scent. Conditions of stress are often associated with an increase in secondary ...

A new triterpene, named milemaronol (1), was isolated from Homalolepis suffruticosa Engl., Simaroubaceae, along with 10 known metabolites, chaparrinone (2), scopoletin (3), 5-methoxycanthin-6-one (4), eurylene (5), hispidol A (6), hispidol B (7), nilocitine (8), α-dihydronylocytine (9), β-dihydronylocytine (10), and teurilene (11). These compounds were characterized based on their spectral data, mainly 1D (1H, 13C-APT) and 2D (1H-1H-COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC) NMR and their mass spectra (HR-ESI-MS), in comparison with data from the literature. Compounds 1 to 6, 8, and 9 were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity against 2 strains (H37Rv and M299).

Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don (Madagascar periwinkle) belongs to the Apocynaceace family and is widely spread throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The plant produces several important alkaloids, such as ajmalicine and serpentine, which are used in the treatment of circulatory diseases. The potential of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nitrogen fertilization to enhance the production of alkaloids was investigated in periwinkle. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and N fertilizer dosages on plant growth, production of ajmalicine, and nutrient content in roots. The concentration of ajmalicine was determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The experiment was designed in randomized blocks in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme with four microbiological treatments (control - without mycorrhiza; Claroideoglomus etunicatum; Rhizophagus intraradices; mixed inoculum - Rhizophagus clarus + Gigaspora margarita), and four N fertilizer dosages (15, 30, 60, and 120 mg kg-1) with four replications. Catharanthus roseus growth was higher when plants were inoculated with mixed inoculum (R. intraradices + G. margarita) and C. etunicatum. The mixed inoculum (R. intraradices + G. margarita) and C. etunicatum, combined with N fertilization, enhanced ajmalicine yield. Catharanthus roseus inoculated with mycorrhiza showed increased P absorption and reduced N content.

Astrocytic tumour cells derived from human (GL-15) and rat (C6) gliomas, as well as non-tumoural astrocytic cells, were exposed to the saponin-rich fraction (SF) from Agave sisalana waste and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated. Cytotoxicity assays revealed a reduction of cell viability that was more intensive in glioma than in non-tumoural cells. The SF induced morphological changes in C6 cells. They were characterised by cytoplasmic vacuole formation associated with increase in the formation of acidic lysosomes. The SF was subjected to purification on Sephadex LH-20, which characterised three probable steroidal saponins (sisalins) by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry multistage (ESI-MSn). Sisalins from sisal may be responsible for the cytotoxicity, which involves cytoplasmatic vacuole formation and selective action for glioma cells.

A novel natural product indole, alkaloid, named rel-pyricolluminol (1), was isolated from Aspidosperma pyricollum Mull.Arg. together with six known metabolites sitsirikine (2), aparicin (3), ulein (4), stemmadenine (5), lupeol (6), and (3β)-sitoster-3-yl β-D-glucopyranoside (7). These compounds were characterized on the basis of their spectral data, mainly 1D- (1H,13C-DEPTQ) and 2D-NMR (1H,1H-COSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC), and mass spectra (EI-MS and HR-ES-MS), involving also comparison with data from the literature.

Darcyribeirine ( 1 ) is a pentacyclic indole alkaloid isolated from Rauvolfia grandiflora . Stereochemistry of 1 was previously proposed based on 1D (coupling constant data) and 2D (NOESY correlations) NMR techniques, having been established a configuration 3 R , 15 S , and 20 R (isomer 1a ). Stereoisomers of 1 (i.e., 1a–1h ) can be grouped into four sets of enantiomers. Carbon chemical shifts and hydrogen coupling constants were calculated using BLYP/6-31G* theory level for the eight isomers of 1 . Calculated NMR data of 1a–1h were correlated with the corresponding experimental data of 1 . The best correlations between theoretical and experimental carbon chemical shift data were obtained for the set of enantiomers 1e/1f to structures in the gaseous phase and considering solvent effects (using PCM and explicit models). Similar results were obtained when the same procedure was performed to correlations between theoretical and experimental coupling constant data. Finally, optical rotation calculations indicate 1e as its absolute stereochemistry. Orbital population analysis indicates that the hydrogen bonding between N–H of 1e and DMSO is due to contributions of its frontier unoccupied molecular orbitals, mainly LUMO+1, LUMO+2, and LUMO+3.

SUMMARYThe benefits of mycorrhizal inoculation on growth, yield and nutrition of plants are well documented. However, mycorrhiza use in pepper and sweet pepper crops (Capsicumspp.) is still rarely exploited compared to other crops of economic importance. The current paper reviews the main aspects of the association between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plants of pepper and sweet pepper. It includes topics about the effects of AM fungi on nutrition, growth and yield inCapsicumspp., paying particular attention to AM fungi–pathogen interactions, responses to some environmental stresses, as well as biochemical and physiological aspects of AM fungi–plant interaction inCapsicum annuumL.