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Two antifeedant lignans from the freshwater macrophyte Saururus cernuus
J Kubanek1, W Fenical, M E Hay
1Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0204, USA. jkubanek@ucsd.edu
Phytochemistry
|June 28, 2000
Summary
Two new compounds, sauriols A and B, isolated from the plant Saururus cernuus, were found to deter feeding in crayfish. These diarylbutane derivatives offer potential for natural pest control strategies.
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry
- Natural Products Chemistry
- Chemical Ecology
Background:
- Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae) is a freshwater angiosperm native to the southeastern United States.
- Lignoids are a class of natural products with diverse biological activities.
- Understanding plant secondary metabolites can reveal novel defense mechanisms and bioactive compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and identify novel compounds from Saururus cernuus.
- To investigate the potential of these compounds as feeding deterrents against herbivores.
- To characterize the chemical structures of isolated metabolites.
Main Methods:
- Bioassay-guided fractionation of organic extracts from Saururus cernuus.
- Isolation of compounds using chromatographic techniques.
- Structure elucidation via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS).
Main Results:
- Two new diarylbutane derivatives, sauriols A and B, were isolated.
- Five known lignoids were also identified in the extracts.
- Sauriols A and B demonstrated significant feeding deterrence against the omnivorous crayfish, Procambarus clarkii.
Conclusions:
- Saururus cernuus produces novel lignans with potent anti-herbivore activity.
- These findings highlight the ecological role of plant secondary metabolites in defense.
- Sauriols A and B represent potential leads for developing natural feeding deterrents.