Male sex pheromone release and female mate choice in a butterfly.

In butterflies female mate choice is influenced by both visual and olfactory cues, the latter of which are important at close range. Males of the green-veined butterfly, Pieris napi, are known to release citral (mixture of geranial and neral, 1:1), but its role(s) and conditions of release are not known. Here, we show that male P.

Antiplasmodial, antimycobacterial, and cytotoxic principles from Camchaya calcarea.

Chemical exploration of Camchaya calcarea (family Compositae) has led to the isolation of nine known sesquiterpene lactones 1 - 9, together with caffeic acid methyl ester 10. Sesquiterpenes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 exhibited moderate antiplasmodial activity, but showed potent antimycobacterial activity. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of sesquiterpene lactones 1, 2, and 4 towards small-cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H187) is stronger (two orders of magnitude) than towards the Vero cell line.

Combretastatins D-3 and D-4, new macrocyclic lactones from Getonia floribunda.

Chemical investigation of biologically active compounds of Getonia floribunda led to the isolation of two new macrocyclic lactones, combretastatins D-3 (1) and D-4 (2). The structures of these compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic analyses. Combretastatin D-3 (1) exhibited cytotoxicity towards the small-cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H187, IC50=13.

Hirsutellide A, a new antimycobacterial cyclohexadepsipeptide from the entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella kobayasii.

A new cyclohexadepsipeptide, named hirsutellide A (1), was isolated from a cell extract of the entomopathogenic fungus Hirsutella kobayasii BCC 1660. The structure of 1 was elucidated by analyses of spectroscopic data, and its absolute stereochemistry was addressed by the use of Marfey's method. Hirsutellide A (1) exhibited antimycobacterial and antimalarial activities, but was inactive toward the Vero cell line (at 50 microg/mL).