DNA binding activity of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids

G. Schmeda-Hirschmann and L. Astudillo. Laboratorio de Qui­mica de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Qui­mica de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca, Casilla 747, Talca, Chile

Bioguided Isolation and Identification of the Nonvolatile Antioxidant Compounds from Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) Waste

Schmeda-Hirschmann, G. Laboratorio de Química de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales.A bioguided isolation of an aqueous extract of fennel waste led to the isolation of 12 major phenolic compounds. Liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC/UV/APCI-MS) combined with spectroscopic methods (NMR) was used for compound identification. Radical scavenging activity was tested using three methods: DPPH, superoxide nitro-blue tetrazolium hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase, and OH/luminol chemiluminescence. In addition to products described in the literature, eight antioxidant compounds were isolated and identified for the first time in fennel: 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 1,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, rosmarinic acid, eriodictyol-7-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside. The structures of eriodictyol-7-O-rutinoside and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide were completely elucidated by two-dimensional NMR experiments. The isolated compounds exhibited a strong antiradical scavenging activity, which may contribute to the interpretation of the pharmacological effects of fennel