β-Orcinol-type depsides from the lichen Thamnolia vermicularis

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Medicinal Botany

Background:

• Thamnolia vermicularis is a lichen species with a history of traditional use.
• Lichen secondary metabolites, such as depsides, are of interest for their potential bioactivities.
• Understanding the chemical composition of medicinal herbs is crucial for quality control and drug discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a phytochemical investigation of Thamnolia vermicularis.
• To isolate and characterize new chemical compounds from the herb.
• To contribute to the knowledge of β-orcinol-type depsides.

Main Methods:

• Phytochemical analysis of Thamnolia vermicularis extract.
• Isolation of secondary metabolites using chromatographic techniques.
• Structure elucidation of isolated compounds via spectroscopic methods, including 1D/2D NMR and ESI-MS.

Main Results:

• Isolation of three new β-orcinol-type depsides (compounds 1-3).
• Identification of seven known compounds: hypothamnolic acid (4), 3'-methylevenic acid (5), baeomycesic acid (6), squamatic acid (7), methyl 3'-methyllecanorate (8), barbatinic acid (9), and atranorin (10).
• Complete structural characterization of the new depsides using advanced spectroscopic data.

Conclusions:

• The phytochemical investigation successfully identified novel depside compounds in Thamnolia vermicularis.
• The findings expand the known chemical profile of this species.
• This research provides a basis for further studies on the biological activities of these isolated compounds.