Differences in diterpenoid diversity reveal new evidence for separating the genus from .

Covering: up to 2019The large and medicinally important tropical plant genus (Lamiaceae) was recently split into three separate genera on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence; , and . We found striking differences between the diterpenoids which strongly support this taxonomic split. is characterised by abietanes oxygenated at C-14 such as royleanones, spirocoleons and acylhydroquinones, which could be useful chemotaxonomic markers to distinguish this genus from In contrast, the abietanes in lack C-14 oxygenation, but are often acylated with unusual acids.

Antibacterial compounds from the mushroom Ganoderma colossum from Nigeria.

Three colossolactones (colossolactone E, colossolactone B and 23-hydroxycolossolactone E) were isolated and characterized from an n-hexane:dichloromethane (2:7) extract of Ganoderma colossum using chromatographic techniques. The antimicrobial activity of the three compounds was then tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The activity was evaluated by the thin-layer chromatography agar overlay method.

Behavioural characterization of four endemic Stachys taxa.

We performed a basic behavioral characterization of methanol extracts of four Balkan endemic Stachys taxa: S. anisochila (SA), S. beckeana (SB), S.

Chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants from Ghana: Cassia sieberiana, Haematostaphis barteri, Mitragyna inermis and Pseudocedrela kotschyi.

The antimicrobial activity of the sequential n-hexane, acetone and 50% aqueous methanol extracts of leaves, stem bark and roots of four species of medicinal plants, Cassia sieberiana DC. (Leguminosae), Haematostaphis barteri Hook. f.

Flavonoids and their glycosides, including anthocyanins.

This review describes more than 600 new examples of naturally occurring flavonoids found either as aglycones or glycosides, comprising flavones, flavonols, chalcones, dihydrochalcones, aurones, flavanones, dihydroflavonols, anthocyanidins and anthocyanins. The main topics addressed are source, identification, biological activity, biosynthesis, synthesis, and ecological or chemosystematic significance, and 514 references are cited.

Insect-antifeedant and antibacterial activity of diterpenoids from species of Plectranthus.

Bio-assay guided fractionation of an acetone extract of leaf material from Plectranthus saccatus Benth. resulted in the isolation of a beyerane diterpenoid. This compound, characterised by spectroscopic methods as ent-3beta-(3-methyl-2-butenoyl)oxy-15-beyeren-19-oic acid, showed insect antifeedant activity against Spodoptera littoralis.

Data-directed scan sequence for the general assignment of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in plant extracts by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry.

An ion trap LC-MS/MS method is described for the analysis of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in crude methanolic extracts of plants. The method employs survey scans with and without the application of up-front collision induced dissociation (CID) to generate diagnostic ions for data-directed MS/MS. The spectra acquired allow assignment of the C-linked sugar to either the C-6 or C-8 position of the aglycone and provide data on the molecular mass of the compound, the number and type of O-linked sugars and the molecular mass of the flavone aglycone.

Antimicrobial activity of some Ganoderma species from Nigeria.

The crude n-hexane:diethyl ether, chloroform:acetone and methanol extracts of four species of Ganoderma (Ganoderma colossum (Fr.) C. F.

Identification and antioxidant potential of flavonoids and low molecular weight phenols in olive cultivar chemlali growing in Tunisia.

Increasing interest in phenolic compounds in olives is due to their antioxidant and health-enhancing properties. In this study the phenolics in fruits of the Tunisian olive cultivar Chemlali were extracted by methanol-water and fractionated using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The identification of phenolic monomers and flavonoids was based on separation by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a diode array detector followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

Phylogeny of Veronica--a combination of molecular and chemical evidence.

A molecular phylogenetic tree of the genus Veronica, based on sequences of the ITS region of nuclear ribosomal DNA, provided a framework to test the use of iridoid chemical data in the classification of the genus. The distribution of ten iridoid glucosides, determined in 27 species of Veronica, supported the molecular results. The nine clades of the molecular tree appeared to correlate with a specific pattern of catalpol esters and chromosome base numbers.

Anthocyanins and other flavonoids.

More than 450 new flavonoid structures, reported from January 2001 until December 2003, are reviewed. They comprise anthocyanidins, flavones, flavonols, chalcones, dihydrochalcones, aurones, flavanones and dihydroflavonols, both as aglycones and as glycosides. The biological activity of some of the compounds is briefly discussed.

Glycosides of tricetin methyl ethers as chemosystematic markers in Stachys subgenus Betonica.

Nine species from the genus Stachys L. representing subgenera Stachys and Betonica were surveyed for flavonoid glycosides by means of HPLC coupled to diode-array detection and LC-APCI-MS. Those species belonging to subgenus Betonica were characterised by the presence of glycosides of tricetin methyl ethers, including a new derivative, which was isolated from S.

Phylogeny and evolution of basils and allies (Ocimeae, Labiatae) based on three plastid DNA regions.

A phylogeny of basils and allies (Lamiaceae, tribe Ocimeae) based on sequences of the trnL intron, trnL-trnF intergene spacer and rps 16 intron of the plastid genome is presented. Several methods were used to reconstruct phylogenies and to assess statistical support for clades: maximum parsimony with equally and successively weighted characters, bootstrap resampling, and Bayesian inference. The phylogeny is used to investigate the distribution of morphological, pericarp anatomy, chemical, and pollen characters as well as the geographical distribution of the clades.

Acylated flavone glycosides from Veronica.

A survey of the flavonoid glycosides of selected taxa in the genus Veronica yielded two new acylated 5,6,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone (6-hydroxyluteolin) glycosides and two unusual allose-containing acylated 5,7,8,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone (isoscutellarein) glycosides. The new compounds were isolated from V. liwanensis and V.

Variations in lipophilic and vacuolar flavonoids among European Pulicaria species.

Four European Pulicaria species, P. odora, P. paludosa, P.

The chemotaxonomic significance of two bioactive caffeic acid esters, nepetoidins A and B, in the Lamiaceae.

A survey of leaf surface constituents in the family Lamiaceae using HPLC with diode array detection revealed the presence of two characteristic phenolic compounds in many species. The distribution of these phenolics in the Lamiaceae was found to be of taxonomic significance, as they were present in the great majority of species investigated for the subfamily Nepetoideae, including representatives of the well-known genera of culinary herbs, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme and basil. In contrast, they were absent from species of the other subfamilies of Lamiaceae studied and from the related families Verbenaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Acanthaceae and Buddlejaceae.

Chemical profiling of Ocimum americanum using external flavonoids.

A HPLC survey was undertaken of the external flavonoids in 111 herbarium specimens of Ocimum americanum L. (O. canum Sims), which were largely collected from their natural habitats throughout Africa and Asia.

Flavonol triglycosides from the leaves of Hammada scoparia (POMEL) ILJIN.

A new flavonol triglycoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1""-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1'''-->6")-beta-D-galactopyranoside, has been isolated from the leaves of Hammada scoparia together with two known compounds, isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1'''-->2")[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1""-->6")]-beta-D-galactopyranoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1'''-->2")[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1""-->6")]-beta-D-galactopyranoside. The structures were determined by spectroscopic methods.

Scutellarein 4'-methyl ether glycosides as taxonomic markers in Teucridium and Tripora (Lamiaceae, Ajugoideae).

The flavonoid profiles of two monotypic genera, Teucridium and Tripora, have been studied by analytical methods. These genera were formerly placed in the Verbenaceae, but are now classified in the Lamiaceae, subfamily Ajugoideae. The major flavonoids of both genera were identified as glycosides of scutellarein 4'-methyl ether (5,6,7-trihydroxy-4'methoxyflavone) and acacetin (5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone).

Flavonolignans from Hyparrhenia hirta.

Leaves of Hyparrhenia hirta yielded the rare diastereoisomeric flavonolignans tricin 4'-O-(erythro-beta-guaiacylglyceryl) ether and tricin 4'-O-(threo-beta-guaiacylglyceryl) ether together with their 7-O-glucosides, which are the first flavonolignan glycosides to be isolated as natural products. A complete set of (1)H and (13)C NMR resonance assignments obtained for both flavonolignan aglycones indicates the need for revision of data published previously for these compounds and for a reassessment of their original stereochemical designation.

Phenolic compounds of Chromolaena odorata protect cultured skin cells from oxidative damage: implication for cutaneous wound healing.

Extracts from the leaves of Chromolaena odorata have been shown to be beneficial for treatment of wounds. The crude ethanol extract of the plant had been demonstrated to be a powerful antioxidant to protect fibroblasts and keratinocytes in vitro. In this study, the most active compounds were fractionated and identified from the crude extract using liquid chromatography coupled with UV spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Molecular phylogenetics of Caryophyllales based on nuclear 18S rDNA and plastid rbcL, atpB, and matK DNA sequences.

To study the inter- and infrafamilial phylogenetic relationships in the order Caryophyllales sensu lato (s.l.), ∼930 base pairs of the matK plastid gene have been sequenced and analyzed for 127 taxa.

Acacetin glycosides as taxonomic markers in Calamintha and Micromeria.

A new acetylated flavone glycoside, acacetin 7-O-[6""-O-acetylglucosyl(1""-->2")]rhamnosyl(1"'-->6")glucoside, has been isolated from the leaves of Calamintha glandulosa together with the known compound acacetin 7-O-rhamnosyl(1"'-->6")glucoside. The occurrence of these flavonoids in the closely related genera Satureja, Micromeria, Acinos and Clinopodium indicates that their distribution may be of taxonomic significance.