ABSTRACT Natural products have been the most valuable source of chemical compounds in the discovery of novel medicines. Secondary metabolites from terrestrial and marine organisms have found considerable use in the treatment of numerous diseases and have been considered lead molecules both in their natural form and as templates for medicinal chemistry. Brazil has an exceptionally rich biodiversity, and a valuable source of secondary metabolites that can be useful for the development of bioproducts. Ipomoea species, Convolvulaceae, are mostly found in tropical and sub-tropical regions, including South America and many are used for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Ipomoea procumbens Mart. & Choisy is endemic from South America, and this is the first study reported on the chemical composition and biological activities of this species. The present work reports the tentatively identification of natural products present in the extracts using a high performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry method. Additionally, the antioxidant and antifungal biological activities of the leaves, roots and steams extracts and fractions of this species were evaluated. While for the antioxidant activity the hydromethanol fractions (leaves, stem and roots) were more active, the methanol fractions of leaves and stem provided better results for the antifungal assay.

In the present work, leaves of Pentacalia desiderabilis (Asteraceae) were subjected to extraction using aqueous 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BMImBr) in the microwave assisted extraction (MAE). The obtained extract was partitioned using CH2Cl2 and antifungal activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum of the organic phase was evaluated. Sequentially, this material was subjected to several chromatographic procedures to afford four quinoid derivatives identified as jacaranone (1), methyl-jacaranone (2), quinolacetic acid (3), and methyl 1-hydroxy-4-oxo-cyclohexaneacetate (4), being the first occurrence of compounds 2 - 4 in P. desiderabilis. Isolated quinoid derivatives were submitted to bioautography assay and the obtained results indicated that compounds 1 - 3 are active against Cladosporium cladosporioides (0.78, 12.5 and 12.5 µg, respectively) and C. sphaerospermum (3.13, 12.5 and 12.5 µg, respectively).

A chemical study on the EtOAc extract produced by Xylaria sp., an endophytic fungus from Piper aduncum, resulted in the isolation of a new cytochalasin 1, along with five known 19,20-epoxycytochalasin D (2), C (3), N (4), Q (5), and R (6). The 1-6 were evaluated against the fungi C. cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum and only 5 showed weak activity. The cytotoxicity in vitro against HeLA and CHO cells lines were investigated and the cytochalasins 2-4, and 6 showed a strong activity against HeLA. The DNAdamaging activity of 1-6 were also investigated against mutant strains of S. cerevisiae.

Bioguided fractionation of the extracts from leaves of Piper mollicomum and Piper lhotzkyanum against the fungi Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum afforded seven bioactive compounds, four being chromenes: methyl 2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene-6-carboxylate, methyl 8-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene-6-carboxylate, 2-methyl-2-[4'-methyl-3'-pentenyl]-2H-1-benzopyran-6-carboxylic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene-6-carboxylic acid, one a dihydrochalcone: 2',6'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxydihydrochalcone, and two flavanones: 7-methoxy-5,4'-dihydroxy-flavanone and 7,4'-dimethoxy-5-hydroxy-flavanone. The structures of the bioactive isolated derivatives were elucidated by interpretation of their NMR data [¹H and 13C (BBD, DEPT 135º)], and mass spectral data as well as by comparison with data described in the literature.

Cissus verticillata L. (Vitaceae) tem sido empregada popularmente como anti-diabética. Nessa espécie foi também detectada atividade fungitóxica. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar a identificação dos compostos fungitóxicos em extratos de folhas. O extrato etanólico foi submetido a fracionamento com solventes de diferentes polaridades (hexano, clorofórmio, acetato de etila e butanol) e seu efeito antifúngico foi analisado frente a Cladosporium sphaerospermum. Os extratos em clorofórmio e acetato de etila mostraram atividade, e foram fracionados por cromatografia em coluna e cromatografia preparativa em placas de sílica, respectivamente. Três terpenóides foram isolados do extrato em clorofórmio; um deles foi identificado, por análise em CG-EM, como um sesquiterpeno, o biciclogermacreno. O composto ativo do extrato em acetato de etila foi identificado, por análises em CLAE, como o estilbeno resveratrol.

Cissus verticillata L. (Vitaceae) is popularly employed as hypoglicemic and it shows fungitoxic activity. This work aims at identification of fungitoxic compounds on extracts of leaves. The ethanol extract was partitioned using solvents of different polarities (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol) and its fungitoxic activity was analysed upon Cladosporium sphaerospermum. The chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts showed activity and they were fractionated by column chromatography and preparative TLC, respectively. Three terpenoids were isolated from the chloroform extract, one of them identified by GLC-MS analysis as sesquiterpene bicyclogermacrene. The active compound of the ethyl acetate extract was identified by HPLC analyses as stilbene resveratrol.

O padrão de fragmentação de uma série homóloga de alcalóides piperidínicos isolados de Senna spectabilis foi investigado utilizando-se espectrometria de massas tandem com ionização por electrospray (ESI-EM/EM). A análise dos extratos EtOH e frações das flores e dos frutos de S. spectabilis por ESI-EM e ESI-EM/EM permitiu elucidar a estrutura de quatro componentes pertencentes a uma série homóloga destes alcalóides, bem como de quatro co-metabólitos inéditos. A elucidação estrutural dos co-metabólitos, com base no padrão de fragmentação de alcalóides piperidínicos previamente isolados, e confirmados pelos dados de EM de alta resolução, demonstra a importância desta técnica para a determinação do "perfil metabolômico" de uma espécie de importância farmacológica.

The fragmentation pattern of a homologous series of piperidine alkaloids isolated from S. spectabilis was investigated using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS analyses of EtOH extracts and fractions from flowers and fruits of S. spectabilis allowed to elucidate the structures of four new compounds. The identification of these co-metabolites, based on the fragmentation patterns of previously isolated compounds, and further confirmed by accurate mass spectrometry defines this technique as a powerful tool to determine the "metabolomic profile" of species which has pharmacological importance.

O estudo fitoquímico biomonitorado do extrato em CH2Cl2 das folhas de Piper malacophyllum através da técnica de bioautografia frente a fungos, resultou no isolamento de dois piperolidos bioativos: 4,6-dimetóxi-5-E-fenilbutenolido (1) e 4,6-dimetóxi-5-Z-fenilbutenolido (2). Essas substâncias foram identificadas com base na análise dos espectros de IV, EM e RMN, incluindo técnicas bidimensionais, e comparação com dados descritos na literatura. A configuração E da ligação dupla confere maior atividade para 1 considerando-se que as quantidades mínimas de 1 e 2 necessária para inibir o crescimento dos fungos Cladosporium cladosporioides e C. sphaerospermum foram de 1,0/1,0 mig (1) e de 5,0/10,0 mig (2), respectivamente.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the CH2Cl2 extract from leaves of Piper malacophyllum using bioautography assay against fungi, led to the isolation of two known bioactive piperolides: 4,6-dimethoxy-5-E-phenylbutenolide (1) and 4,6-dimethoxy-5-Z-phenylbutenolide (2). IR, MS and NMR spectroscopic data were used for the identification of these compounds including comparison with previously reported data. The E configuration is associated to higher activity for compound 1, since the minimum amount required for the growth inhibition of Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum were 1.0/1.0 mug (1) and 5.0/10.0 mug (2), respectively.

Methanol extract obtained from Kielmeyera variabilis stems showed significant molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata. The phytochemical studies of the plants stem to the isolation of three xanthones (assiguxanthone-B, kielcorin and 1,3,5,6-tetrahtydroxy-2-prenylxanthone) and a organic acid (2,5-dihydroxy benzoic acid). The structures of these compounds were identified by IR, MS, ¹H and 13C NMR spectral analysis and comparison with literature data.

O ácido canárico 1 foi isolado das folhas de Rudgea jasminoides. A substância isolada é um derivado triterpênico do tipo seco-lupano e teve sua estrutura elucidada com base nos dados espectrais, principalmente em experimentos de RMN a 1D e 2D. O sitosterol, o estigmasterol e os ácidos ursólico e oleanólico também foram isolados.

The canaric acid 1 was isolated from the leaves of Rudgea jasminoides. Compound 1 is a seco-lupane derivative and its structure was established on the basis of spectral data, mainly by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Sitosterol, stigmasterol and ursolic and oleanolic acids were also isolated.