Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

07:59
A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
Sesquiterpenoids from Pilea cavaleriei subsp. crenata
Gui-Hua Tang1, Chang-Song Sun, Chun-Lin Long
1Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, PR China.
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters
|August 25, 2009
Summary
Researchers isolated four new compounds, including humulane sesquiterpenes and a copaborneol derivative, from Pileacavaleriei. These natural products were evaluated for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities.
Area of Science:
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Pharmacognosy
Background:
- Pileacavaleriei Lévl. subsp. crenata C. J. Chen. is a plant species known for potential bioactive compounds.
- Sesquiterpenes and their derivatives are a class of natural products with diverse biological activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize new chemical constituents from Pileacavaleriei.
- To evaluate the cytotoxic and antimicrobial potential of the isolated compounds.
Main Methods:
- Methanol extraction of Pileacavaleriei plant material.
- Structure elucidation of isolated compounds using spectroscopic methods (e.g., NMR, MS).
- In vitro assays to assess cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities.
Main Results:
- Isolation and identification of three new humulane-type sesquiterpenes (compounds 1-3).
- Isolation and identification of one new copaborneol derivative (compound 4).
- Evaluation of the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of the four new compounds.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully identified novel sesquiterpenes and a copaborneol derivative from the investigated plant.
- The isolated compounds exhibited varying degrees of cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities, warranting further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores
Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview
Cycloheptatriene is a neutral monocyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon that consists of an odd number of carbon atoms and an intervening sp3 carbon in the ring. The three double bonds in the ring correspond to 6 π electrons, which is a Huckel number, and therefore satisfies the criteria of 4n + 2 π electrons. However, the intervening sp3 carbon disrupts the continuous overlap of p orbitals. As a result, cycloheptatriene is not aromatic.
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...
