ABSTRACT High-resolution mass spectrometry is currently used to determine the mass of biologically active compounds in plants and UHPLC-Orbitrap is a relatively new technology that allows fast fingerprinting and metabolomics analysis. In this work, several phenolic compounds including eleven phenolic acids, two fatty acids, two chromones and fourteen flavones were rapidly identified in the methanolic extracts of aerial parts and flowers of the unique Chilean species Ophryosporus triangularis Meyen, Asteraceae, growing in the Atacama Desert by means of ultrahigh resolution liquid chromatography orbitrap MS analysis (UHPLC-PDA-OT-MS) for the first time. The UHPLC-MS fingerprint generated can be used for the authentication of this endemic species. The methanolic extracts of the aerial parts and flowers showed also antioxidant capacities (65.34 ± 1.32 and 52.41 ± 1.87 µg/ml in the DPPH assay, 184.88 ± 13.22 and 196.80 ± 13.28 µmol TE/g dry weight in the ferric reducing power assay and 56.17 ± 3.03 and 65.41 ± 1.96% in the superoxide anion scavenging assay, respectively).

Lichens are symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. Secondary metabolites from lichens are known as lichen substances. We investigated depsidone and depside from lichens 1-6 in the context of their action to prevent gastric ulcer on the model of HCl/ethanol in mice for the first time. Doses of 30 mg/kg of lichen substances 1-6 and positive control (lansoprazole) significantly diminished the lesion index compared with negative control (treated only with HCl/EtOH). Lobaric acid 1, atranorin 2 and psoromic acid 5 reduced the gastric lesions by 76%, 63% and 65%, while for variolaric acid 3, diffractaic acid 4 and perlatolic acid 6 their values were 32%, 14% and 45%, respectively. Our results suggest that lichens have potential as a suite of gastroprotective molecules.

The diene Erythrina alkaloids erysotrine (1), erysodine (2), erythraline (3), erytharbine (4), and erysotrine N-oxide (5), plus the hydroxylated dihydro derivative of 1, epierythratidine (6) were isolated from seeds of Erythrina fusca Lour., and their ¹H and 13C NMR spectra were completely assigned using 2D experiments (H-H COSY, HMQC, HMBC and H-H NOESY). Our assignments for 1-5 agree well with the literature, but the present work shows that the published interpretation of the spectra of 6 must be revised. A combined study based on NMR data and quantum-mechanical calculations using DFT/GIAO indicate that 6 is the correct structure of epierythratidine.

The inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase is considered as a strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, ataxia, and myasthenia gravis. Three lanostane- and two cycloartane-type triterpenes, together with two mulinane-type diterpenes were isolated from petroleum ether extract of the whole shrub of Azorella trifurcata (Gaertn.) Pers. Their effect on the enzyme acetylcholinesterase was assessed as well. In addition, this is the first report of these triterpenes in the genus Azorella.