3-methylquercetin and syringic-acid

During their domestication process, the species of the genus Opuntia lose their ability to survive in the wild. Presence and concentration of secondary metabolites which play a role in the interaction with their surroundings are modified but without an identifiable pattern. A domestication gradient based on morphological characteristics has been previously described for the species in the Opuntia genus. Secondary metabolites are a diverse group of bioactive compounds that relate to a species evolution, both in their natural and artificial (domestication process) selection environments. In addition, these compounds are associated with plant resistance to stress when growing in the wild. A comprehensive characterization of secondary metabolite profiles in the Opuntia genus that accounts for the genotypic differences related to the degree of domestication has not previously been conducted. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition of young cladodes from fifteen variants, of O. ficus-indica, O. albicarpa Sheinvar, and O. megacantha Salm-Dyck, identified as species with a highly advanced, advanced and intermediate degree of domestication, respectively, and O. hyptiacantha A. Web, and O. streptacantha Lem. identified as wild-intermediate and wild species. Analyses were carried out using a HPLC-diode array detection technique. Out of the 13 identified and quantified phenolic molecules and terpenoids, only the caffeic, ferulic and syringic acids, and the terpenoid β-amyrin were present in all variants. The flavonoid luteolin was absent in all five species. Gallic, vallinic, p-hydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic and p-coumaric acids were only present in 53-87% of variants; flavonoids quercetin, isorhamnetin, rutin and apigenin in 47-87% of the variants. Both, oleanolic acid and peniocerol, were present only in 60% of variants. Isorhamnetin was absent in O. hyptiacantha and quercetin in O. streptacntha. Differences and similarities in the secondary metabolites content showed no recognizable trend relating to the degree of domestication across the species in this genus.

Topics: Apigenin; Caffeic Acids; Chlorogenic Acid; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Coumaric Acids; Domestication; Flavonoids; Gallic Acid; Hydroxybenzoates; Oleanolic Acid; Opuntia; Quercetin; Rutin; Sterols; Terpenes; Vanillic Acid

Antibacterial activity against veterinary Salmonella was determined using dried fruit extracts of Ardisia elliptica Thunb. Chromatographic purification and spectroscopic structure studies provided three active anti-Salmonella compounds, namely, syringic acid, isorhamnetin and quercetin. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the isolated compounds ranged between 15.6 and 125.0 microg mL(-1).

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ardisia; Flavonols; Fruit; Gallic Acid; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Quercetin; Salmonella; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Spectrophotometry, Infrared