Formation and Characterization of Chitosan-Based Polyelectrolyte Complex Containing Antifungal Phenylpropanoids.

In this work, a novel chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was prepared using chitosan as the cationic polyelectrolyte, while a potassium salt of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-tetradecene) (PMA-14) served as the anionic counterpart. These PECs were used for the encapsulation of two nitroeugenol derivatives: 4-allyl-2-methoxy-6-nitrophenol () and 2-allyl-6-nitrophenol (). The results confirm complex formation and efficient encapsulation of active compounds.

Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Molecular-Docking Studies of New Brassinosteroid Analogs.

Much work has been dedicated to the quest to determine the structure-activity relationship in synthetic brassinosteroid (BR) analogs. Recently, it has been reported that analogs with phenyl or benzoate groups in the alkyl chain present activities comparable to those shown by natural BRs, depending on the nature of the substituent in the aromatic ring. However, as it is well known that the activity depends on the structure of the whole molecule, in this work, we have synthesized a series of compounds with the same substituted benzoate in the alkyl chain and a hydroxyl group at C3.

Novel Brassinosteroid Analogues with 3,6 Dioxo Function, 24-Nor-22()-Hydroxy Side Chain and -Substituted Benzoate Function at C-23-Synthesis and Evaluation of Plant Growth Effects.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are an important group of polyhydroxylated naturally occurring steroidal phytohormones found in the plant kingdom in extremely low amounts. Due to the low concentrations in which these compounds are found, much effort has been dedicated to synthesizing these compounds or their structural analogs using natural and abundant sterols. In this work, we report the synthesis of new brassinosteroid analogs obtained from hyodeoxycholic acid, with a 3,6 dioxo function, 24-Nor-22()-hydroxy side chain and -substituted benzoate function at C-23.

Antimicrobial Activity of Drimanic Sesquiterpene Compounds from against Multiresistant Microorganisms.

In this work, a group of ten sesquiterpene drimanes, including polygodial (), isopolygodial (), and drimenol () obtained from the bark of F. and seven synthetic derivatives, were tested in vitro against a unique panel of bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes with standardized procedures against bacterial strains , , , and The minimum inhibitory concentrations and bactericidal activities were evaluated using standardized protocols. Polygodial () was the most active compound, with MBC 8 μg/mL and MIC 16 μg/mL in ; MBC 16 μg/mL and MIC 32 μg/mL in ; MBC 64 μg/mL and MIC 64 μg/mL in ; and MBC 8 μg/mL and MIC 16 μg/mL and MBC 32 μg/mL and MIC 64 μg/mL in , respectively.

Ethanolic Extract from Fruits of , a Chilean Extremophile Plant. Assessment of Antioxidant Activity and In Vitro Cytotoxicity.

is a shrub with yellow flowers that reach up to two meters high, endemic of the Atacama Region in Chile. This species grows under special environmental conditions such as low altitude, arid areas, and directly sun-exposed habitats. In the present study, ethanolic extract was obtained from fruits of , and then partitioned in solvents of increasing polarity to obtain five fractions: hexane (HF), dichloromethane (DF), ethyl acetate (AF), and the residual water fraction (QF).

New Brassinosteroid Analogs with 23,24-Dinorcholan Side Chain, and Benzoate Function at C-22: Synthesis, Assessment of Bioactivity on Plant Growth, and Molecular Docking Study.

The synthesis and biological evaluation of brassinosteroids (BRs) analogs with chemical modification in the side alkyl chain is a matter of current interest. Recently, a series of BR analogs with phenyl or benzoate groups in the alkyl chain have been reported. The effect of substitution in the aromatic ring on the biological activities of these new analogs has been evaluated, and the results suggest that the bioactivity is enhanced by substitution with an F atom.

The Synthesis of Novel -Steroids and , -Unsaturated-Cyanoketone from Diosgenin.

Recent studies have demonstrated the antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of aza-steroids and steroidal sapogenins on human cancer cell lines. The scientific community has shown a growing interest in these compounds as drug candidates for cancer treatment. In the current work, we report the synthesis of new diosgenin oxime derivatives as potential antiproliferative agents.

Study of Cannabis Oils Obtained from Three Varieties of and by Two Different Extraction Methods: Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Activities.

Currently, much effort is being placed into obtaining extracts and/or essential oils from L. for specific therapeutic purposes or pharmacological compositions. These potential applications depend mainly on the phytochemical composition of the oils, which in turn are determined by the type of a and the extraction method used to obtain the oils.

Synthesis of Four Steroidal Carbamates with Antitumor Activity against Mouse Colon Carcinoma CT26WT Cells: In Vitro and In Silico Evidence.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. If detected on time, surgery can expand life expectations of patients up to five more years. However, if metastasis has grown deliberately, the use of chemotherapy can play a crucial role in CRC control.

Secondary Metabolites Isolated from Chilean Marine Algae: A Review.

Chile is in the extreme southwestern part of America, and it has an extreme length, of approximately 4300 km that increases to 8000 km considering the Chilean Antarctic Territory. Despite the large extent of its coastal territory and the diversity of geographic environments and climates associated with Chilean coasts, the research on marine resources in Chile has been rather scarce. From marine organisms found in Chilean coastal waters, algae have been the most studied, since they contain a wide range of interesting secondary metabolites that have some structural traits that make them unique and uncharacteristic.

Phytochemical Profiling and Assessment of Anticancer Activity of Extracts Obtained from In Vitro Cultures.

Plant cell culture is a source of plant material from which bioactive metabolites can be extracted. In this work, the in vitro propagation of , an endemic Chilean shrub with anticancer activity, is described. Different media were tested and optimized for the introduction, propagation, and rooting steps of the micropropagation process.

Synthesis and Fungicidal Activity of Hydrated Geranylated Phenols against .

is a ubiquitous fungus that affects hundreds of plants, resulting in economic losses to the horticulture and fruit industry. The search for new antifungal agents is a matter of current interest. Thus, in this work a series of geranylated phenols in which the side alkyl chain has been hydrated have been synthesized, and their activity against has been evaluated.

A theoretical chemistry-based strategy for the rational design of new luminescent lanthanide complexes: an approach from a multireference SOC-NEVPT2 method.

Theoretical methods of the SOC-NEVPT2 type combined with a molecular fragmentation scheme have been proven to be a powerful tool that allows explaining the luminescence sensitization mechanism in Ln(III) coordination compounds through the antenna effect. In this work, we have used this strategy to predict luminescence in a family of compounds of the Eu(R-phen)(BTA)3 type where R-phen = 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Me-phen), 5-nitro-1,10-71 phenanthroline (Nitro-phen), 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (One-phen), or 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-1,10-72 phenanthroline (Epoxy-phen); and BTA = fluorinated β-diketone. Possible sensitization pathways were elucidated from the energy difference between the ligand-centered triplet (T) states and the emissive excited states of the Eu(III) fragments (Latva rules).

Assessing the Control of Postharvest Gray Mold Disease on Tomato Fruit Using Mixtures of Essential Oils and Their Respective Hydrolates.

Gray mold disease, which is caused by Pers ex. Fr., results in serious economic losses to (tomato) crop productivity.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of New Brassinosteroid Analogs of Type 24-Nor-5β-Cholane and 23-Benzoate Function in the Side Chain.

Brassinosteroids are polyhydroxysteroids that are involved in different plants' biological functions, such as growth, development and resistance to biotic and external stresses. Because of its low abundance in plants, much effort has been dedicated to the synthesis and characterization of brassinosteroids analogs. Herein, we report the synthesis of brassinosteroid 24-nor-5β-cholane type analogs with 23-benzoate function and 22,23-benzoate groups.

Synthesis of New Brassinosteroid 24-Norcholane Type Analogs Conjugated in C-3 with Benzoate Groups.

The metabolism of brassinosteroid leads to structural modifications in the ring skeleton or the side alkyl chain. The esterification and glycosylation at C-3 are the most common metabolic pathways, and it has been suggested that conjugate brassinosteroids are less active or inactive. In this way, plants regulate the content of active brassinosteroids.

Synthesis of New Steroidal Carbamates with Plant-Growth-Promoting Activity: Theoretical and Experimental Evidence.

A priority of modern agriculture is to use novel and environmentally friendly plant-growth promoter compounds to increase crop yields and avoid the indiscriminate use of synthetic fertilizers. Brassinosteroids are directly involved in the growth and development of plants and are considered attractive candidates to solve this problem. Obtaining these metabolites from their natural sources is expensive and cumbersome since they occur in extremely low concentrations in plants.

Exogenous Application of Brassinosteroid 24-Norcholane 22()-23-Dihydroxy Type Analogs to Enhance Water Deficit Stress Tolerance in .

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant hormones that play an essential role in plant development and have the ability to protect plants against various environmental stresses, such as low and high temperature, drought, heat, salinity, heavy metal toxicity, and pesticides. Mitigation of stress effects are produced through independent mechanisms or by interaction with other important phytohormones. However, there are few studies in which this property has been reported for BRs analogs.

Plant Growth-Defense Trade-Offs: Molecular Processes Leading to Physiological Changes.

In order to survive in a hostile habitat, plants have to manage the available resources to reach a delicate balance between development and defense processes, setting up what plant scientists call a trade-off. Most of these processes are basically responses to stimuli sensed by plant cell receptors and are influenced by the environmental features, which can incredibly modify such responses and even cause changes upon both molecular and phenotypic level. Therefore, significant differences can be detected between plants of the same species living in different environments.

Genome Sequence of sp. Strain AN3A02, Isolated from Rhizosphere of Deschampsia antarctica Desv., with Antagonism against Botrytis cinerea.

Here, we announce the draft genome sequence of sp. strain AN3A02, isolated from the rhizosphere of one of the only two species of vascular plants existing in the Antarctic continent, Desv. This isolate, which inhibited the mycelial growth of in dual culture, has a genome sequence of 6,778,644 bp, with a G+C content of 60.

Biological Activities and Molecular Docking of Brassinosteroids 24-Norcholane Type Analogs.

The quest and design of new brassinosteroids analogs is a matter of current interest. Herein, the effect of short alkyl side chains and the configuration at C22 on the growth-promoting activity of a series of new brassinosteroid 24-norcholan-type analogs have been evaluated by the rice leaf inclination test using brassinolide as positive control. The highest activities were found for triol with a C22() configuration and monobenzoylated derivatives.

Synthesis and In Vitro Growth Inhibition of 2-Allylphenol Derivatives Against Rands.

is a phytopathogen that causes extensive damage in different crops, and therefore, produces important economic losses all around the world. Chemical fungicides are a key factor for the control of this disease. However, ecological and environmental considerations, as well as the appearance of strains that are resistant to commercial fungicides, have prompted the quest for new antifungal agents which are of low ecological impact.

Antifungal Activity of Eugenol Derivatives against .

is a worldwide spread fungus that causes the grey mold disease, which is considered the most important factor in postharvest losses in fresh fruit crops. Consequently, the control of gray mold is a matter of current and relevant interest for agricultural industries. In this work, a series of phenylpropanoids derived from eugenol were synthesized and characterized.