Occurrence of polygodial and 1-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-but-2-en-1-one from some ferns and liverworts: role of pungent components in bryophytes and pteridophytes evolution

TRPA1 and issues relating to animal model selection for extrapolating toxicity data to humans

The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) ion channel is a sensor for irritant chemicals, has ancient lineage, and is distributed across animal species including humans, where it features in many organs. Its activation by a diverse panel of electrophilic molecules (TRPA1 agonists) through electrostatic binding and/or covalent attachment to the protein causes the sensation of pain. This article reviews the species differences between TRPA1 channels and their responses, to assess the suitability of different animals to model the effects of TRPA1-activating electrophiles in humans, referring to common TRPA1 activators (exogenous and endogenous) and possible mechanisms of action relating to their toxicology. It concludes that close matching of in vitro and in vivo models will help optimise the identification of relevant biochemical and physiological responses to benchmark the efficacy of potential therapeutic drugs, including TRPA1 antagonists, to counter the toxic effects of those electrophiles capable of harming humans. The analysis of the species issue provided should aid the development of medical treatments to counter poisoning by such chemicals.

A Chemometric Analysis of Compounds from Native New Zealand Medicinal Flora

Several hundred (396) compounds from New Zealand flora with medicinal properties were analyzed for their physicochemical properties. It was found that approximately 10 % fulfilled all the requirements to be considered to be lead-like, over half of the compounds were deemed to be in the drug-like space and ≈75 % were in the known drug space. These results indicate the presence of a significant proportion of compounds that are of particular interest to pursue as potential lead compounds or therapeutics. Additionally, compound classes were analyzed separately-most carbonyl-containing compounds (aldehydes, ketones, esters and lactones), along with phenols were the most lead-like compounds, which also displayed very good proportions in the drug-like and known drug space. The information presented herein can be harnessed and utilized in future work, through focussing on the compounds and compound classes that exhibit high-levels of lead-likeness for further development.

Malagasy Liverworts, Source of New and Biologically Active Compounds

The phytochemical investigation of eight Jungermaniales liverwort species: Bazzania decrescens, B. madagassa (Lepidoziaceae), Plagiochila barteri, P. terebrans (Plagiochilaceae), Isotachis aubertii (Isotachidaceae), Mastigophora diclados (Lepicoleaceae), Radula appressa (Radulaceae), and Thysananthus spathulistipus (Lejeuneaceae), collected from Madagascar, has been carried out to afford new and structurally interesting terpenoids and aromatic compounds. The biological activities of the isolated secondary metabolites were determined and the herbertene-type sesquiterpenoids were shown to have antibacterial activity. A new ent-clerodane diterpene from Thysananthus spathulistipus and bis-bibenzyls-type aromatic compounds exhibited strong inhibition of NO production in RAW 264.7 cells, while marchantin C produced moderate α-glucosidase inhibition. The chemosystematics of the studied species are discussed.

Chemical Constituents of Bryophytes: Structures and Biological Activity

Comparatively little attention has been paid to the bryophytes for use in the human diet or medicine in spite of the presence of 23 000 species globally. Several hundred new compounds have been isolated from the liverworts (Marchantiophyta), and more than 40 new carbon skeletons of terpenoids and aromatic compounds were found. Most of the liverworts studied elaborate characteristic odiferous, pungent, and bitter-tasting compounds, of which many show antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, allergic contact dermatitis, cytotoxic, insecticidal, anti-HIV, plant growth regulatory, neurotrophic, NO production and superoxide anion radical release inhibitory, muscle relaxing, antiobesity, piscicidal, and nematocidal activities. The biological effects ascribed to the liverworts are mainly due to lipophilic sesqui- and diterpenoids, phenolic compounds, and polyketides, which are the principal constituents of their oil bodies. Some mosses and liverworts produce significant levels of vitamin B₂ and tocopherols, as well as prostaglandin-like highly unsaturated fatty acids. The most characteristic chemical phenomenon of the liverworts is that most of the sesqui- and diterpenoids are enantiomers of those found in higher plants. In this review, the chemical constituents and potential medicinal uses of bryophytes are discussed.

Identification of a drimenol synthase and drimenol oxidase from Persicaria hydropiper, involved in the biosynthesis of insect deterrent drimanes

The sesquiterpenoid polygodial, which belongs to the drimane family, has been shown to be an antifeedant for a number of herbivorous insects. It is presumed to be synthesized from farnesyl diphosphate via drimenol, subsequent C-12 hydroxylation and further oxidations at both C-11 and C-12 to form a dialdehyde. Here, we have identified a drimenol synthase (PhDS) and a cytochrome P450 drimenol oxidase (PhDOX1) from Persicaria hydropiper. Expression of PhDS in yeast and plants resulted in production of drimenol alone. Co-expression of PhDS with PhDOX1 in yeast yielded drimendiol, the 12-hydroxylation product of drimenol, as a major product, and cinnamolide. When PhDS and PhDOX1 were transiently expressed by agro-infiltration in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, drimenol was almost completely converted into cinnamolide and several additional drimenol derivatives were observed. In vitro assays showed that PhDOX1 only catalyses the conversion from drimenol to drimendiol, and not the further oxidation into an aldehyde. In yeast and heterologous plant hosts, the C-12 position of drimendiol is therefore likely to be further oxidized by endogenous enzymes into an aldehyde and subsequently converted to cinnamolide, presumably by spontaneous hemiacetal formation with the C-11 hydroxyl group followed by oxidation. Purified cinnamolide was confirmed by NMR and shown to be deterrent with an effective deterrent dose (ED50 ) of about 200-400 μg g-1 fresh weight against both whiteflies and aphids. The putative additional physiological and biochemical requirements for polygodial biosynthesis and stable storage in plant tissues are discussed.

Volatile organic compounds in the strongly fragrant fern genus Melpomene (Polypodiaceae)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common among plants, both as attractants for pollinators and as defence against herbivores. While much studied among flowering plants, the prevalence and function of VOCs among ferns is little known. Using headspace sorption and gas chromatography, we analysed the VOCs of dried specimens of six species of grammitid fern (Polypodiaceae), including two species of the genus Melpomene, which is characterised by a distinctive sweet smell. We identified 38 VOCs, including 22 not previously recorded among ferns. The two species of Melpomene had distinct VOC cocktails, including 12 substances not found in the other four studied genera, mainly involving fatty acid derivatives (FADs) and aromatics. We propose that these VOCs have, at least in part, a function in herbivore defence, but note that the VOC bouquet of Melpomene is distinct from that typically found in angiosperms.

Comparison of the chemical composition of three species of smartweed (genus Persicaria) with a focus on drimane sesquiterpenoids

The genus Persicaria is known to include species accumulating drimane sesquiterpenoids, but a comparative analysis highlighting the compositional differences has not been done. In this study, the secondary metabolites of both flowers and leaves of Persicariahydropiper, Persicariamaculosa and Persicariaminor, three species which occur in the same habitat, were compared. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of extracts, overall 21/29 identified compounds in extracts were sesquiterpenoids and 5/29 were drimanes. Polygodial was detected in all species, though not in every sample of P. maculosa. On average, P. hydropiper flowers contained about 6.2 mg g FW(-1) of polygodial, but P. minor flowers had 200-fold, and P. maculosa 100,000 fold lower concentrations. Comparatively, also other sesquiterpenes were much lower in those species, suggesting the fitness benefit to depend on either investing a lot or not at all in terpenoid-based secondary defences. For P. hydropiper, effects of flower and leaf development and headspace volatiles were analysed as well. The flower stage immediately after fertilisation was the one with the highest content of drimane sesquiterpenoids and leaves contained about 10-fold less of these compounds compared to flowers. The headspace of P. hydropiper contained 8 compounds: one monoterpene, one alkyl aldehyde and six sesquiterpenes, but none were drimanes. The potential ecological significance of the presence or absence of drimane sesquiterpenoids and other metabolites for these plant species are discussed.

Phytochemical and biological studies of bryophytes

The bryophytes contain the Marchantiophyta (liverworts), Bryophyta (mosses) and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts). Of these, the Marchantiophyta have a cellular oil body which produce a number of mono-, sesqui- and di-terpenoids, aromatic compounds like bibenzyl, bis-bibenzyls and acetogenins. Most sesqui- and di-terpenoids obtained from liverworts are enantiomers of those found in higher plants. Many of these compounds display a characteristic odor, and can have interesting biological activities. These include: allergenic contact dermatitis, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral, cytotoxic, insecticidal, insect antifeedant, superoxide anion radical release, 5-lipoxygenase, calmodulin, hyaluronidase, cyclooxygenase, DNA polymerase β, and α-glucosidase and NO production inhibitory, antioxidant, piscicidal, neurotrophic and muscle relaxing activities among others. Each liverwort biosynthesizes unique components, which are valuable for their chemotaxonomic classification. Typical chemical structures and biological activity of the selected liverwort constituents as well as the hemi- and total synthesis of some biologically active compounds are summarized.

Distribution of Drimane Sesquiterpenoids and Tocopherols in Liverworts, Ferns and Higher Plants: Polygonaceae, Canellaceae and Winteraceae Species

The liverwort, Porella vernicosa complex produces a very hot tasting polygodial, a drimane-type sesquiterpene dialdehyde. The same compound has been isolated from two ferns, Thelypteris hispidula and Blechnum fluviatile, as well as from the higher plants Polygonum hydropiper, P. hydropiper f purpurascens (Polygonaceae), Cinnamosma, Caspicodendron, Canella and Warburgia species (Canellaceae), and Pseudowintera colorata, Tasmannia lanceolata, Drimys and Zygogynum species (Winteraceae). In addition, the liverworts and higher plants which elaborate polygodial and its related pungent drimane dials contain a small amount of α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol or δ-tocotrienol. The present paper gives the results of a comparative study on the drimane-type sesquiterpenoids in some liverworts, ferns and higher plants, and the role of tocopherols in these plant groups.

TRPA1 mediates the noxious effects of natural sesquiterpene deterrents

Plants, fungi, and animals generate a diverse array of deterrent natural products that induce avoidance behavior in biological adversaries. The largest known chemical family of deterrents are terpenes characterized by reactive alpha,beta-unsaturated dialdehyde moieties, including the drimane sesquiterpenes and other terpene species. Deterrent sesquiterpenes are potent activators of mammalian peripheral chemosensory neurons, causing pain and neurogenic inflammation. Despite their wide-spread synthesis and medicinal use as desensitizing analgesics, their molecular targets remain unknown. Here we show that isovelleral, a noxious fungal sesquiterpene, excites sensory neurons through activation of TPRA1, an ion channel involved in inflammatory pain signaling. TRPA1 is also activated by polygodial, a drimane sesquiterpene synthesized by plants and animals. TRPA1-deficient mice show greatly reduced nocifensive behavior in response to isovelleral, indicating that TRPA1 is the major receptor for deterrent sesquiterpenes in vivo. Isovelleral and polygodial represent the first fungal and animal small molecule agonists of nociceptive transient receptor potential channels.

Recent Advances of Biologically Active Substances from the Marchantiophyta

The Marchantiophyta (liverworts) produce a number of terpenoids, aromatic compounds and acetogenins, several of which show interesting biological properties, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, allergenic contact dermatitis, insecticide, insect antifeedant, cytotoxic, piscicidal, muscle relaxing, plant growth regulatory, anti-HIV and DNA polymerase β inhibitory, anti-obesity and neurotrophic activities. The isolation and chemical structures of the active compounds are discussed.

Drimanes and other terpenoids from the fern Thelypteris hispidula (Decne.) Reed

The drimane-type sesquiterpenoids (-)-polygodial (1), (-)-isopolygodial (4), drimenin (5), and isodrimenin (6) were isolated from a pungent Argentine collection of the fern Thelypteris hispidula, along with other terpenoids. As the mentioned drimanes have been previously found in liverworts, the present results strongly support the theory that Pteridophytes and Bryophytes share the same line of evolution. Our present investigations indicate that two chemotypes of T. hispidula are widespread in the northwest of Argentina. Plants belonging to the pungent chemotype contain drimanes, while nonpungent plants lack drimanes.

Biologically active compounds from bryophytes

Liverworts produce a great variety of lipophilic terpenoids, aromatic compounds, and acetogenins. Many of these constituents have characteristic scents, pungency, and bitterness, and display a quite extraordinary array of bioactivities and medicinal properties. These expressions of biological activity are summarized and discussed, and examples are given of the potential of certain lead compounds for structure-activity studies and synthesis.

Chemosystematics of the hepaticae

Most liverworts (Hepaticae) contain oil bodies which are composed of lipophilic terpenoids and aromatic compounds. The chemosystematics of 36 families of the Jungermannidae and seven families of the Marchantiidae of the Hepaticae are discussed using terpenoid and aromatic components.

New glycosides from the Japanese fern Hymenophyllum barbatum

Thirteen glycosides and methyl (3R,5R)-5-hydroxy-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-hexanoate were newly isolated from the Japanese fern Hymenophyllum barbatum, although our previous work revealed the isolation of hemiterpene glycosides, hymenosides A-J, from the same species. The structures of the newly isolated glycosides were elucidated by extensive two-dimensional (2D) NMR and/or chemical evidence. The structures of those aglycones were divided into four types, 2-methyl-but-2-ene-1,4-diol, 2-hydroxymethyl-but-2-ene-1,4-diol, 2-methylene-butane-1,3,4-triol, and 3-hydroxy-5-hexanolide. The sugar moieties, which were acylated by phenylacetic acid derivatives, were also established by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Eight glucosides of the isolated compounds in the present investigation had a bitter or weakly pungent taste. It is clear that a phenylacetyl group attached to glucose or allose as an ester is necessary for the bitter taste.