-
Article
Chemical Basis for Aspilia Leaf-Swallowing by Chimpanzees: A Reanalysis
Thiarubrine A, an antimicrobial and nematocidal 1,2-dithiin polyyne has been reported to be a constituent of Aspilia leaves swallowed whole by chimpanzees. Aspilia samples were analyzed for the presence of thiaru...
-
Article
Inhibition of Taq DNA polymerase by seaweed extracts from British Columbia, Canada and Korea
Fifty-nine species of marine macrophytes from the coasts of British Columbia, Canada and Korea have been screened for the presence of PCR inhibitors, namely inhibitors of Taq DNA polymerase. Eleven of the spec...
-
Article
Antiviral activities of anthraquinones, bianthrones and hypericin derivatives from lichens
The antiviral activities of some naturally occurring anthraquinones bianthrones, and hypericin derivatives were compared by the end-point CPE (viral cytopathic effects) method and plaque assays. Under optimal ...
-
Article
Identification of a plant growth inhibiting iridoid lactone fromDuroia hirsuta, the allelopathic tree of the ‘Devil's Garden’
Bioactivity-directed fractionation of a root extract ofDuroia hirsuta (Rubiaceae), a toxic and potentially allelopathic understory tree from the western Amazon, has led to the isolation of the tetracyclic iridoid...
-
Chapter
Insecticides in Tropical Plants with Non-Neurotoxic Modes of Action
Biotic interactions in the tropics are intense and have led to the evolution of a great diversity of phytochemicals which act as deterrents to phytophagous insects. While the diversity of tropical forests and ...
-
Article
Further toxic properties of the fungal metabolite dothistromin
The toxicity of the fungal phytotoxin dothistromin (l) to microorganisms, its lysis of human red blood corpuscles and beetroot tissue, and its unexpectedly selective inhibition of radicle elongation for Trigonell...
-
Article
Some biological properties of traversianal, a strongly molluscicidal diterpenoid aldehyde from Cercospra traversiana
The diterpenoid aldehyde traversianal, a metabolite of the fenugreek pathogen Cercospora traversiana, has been shown to be highly toxic to brine shrimp and snails, and to lyse human red blood cells at concentrati...
-
Chapter and Conference Paper
Switching on Production of Thiarubrines and Other Polyines by Transformation of Plant Tissue Cultures
About 6 years ago we planned to extend our research on the photobiology and the photobiochemistry of the characteristic polyines and related sulphur derivatives of the Asteraceae to studies on the biogenesis o...
-
Article
Thiophenes and benzofurans in the undisturbed rhizosphere ofTagetes patula L.
Marigold (Tagetes patula L.) contains secondary metabolites toxic to various organisms. While these compounds may function as defensive agents in the plant, it is not clear whether they are exuded into the rhizos...
-
Article
Significance of phototoxic phytochemicals in insect herbivory
The significance of the wide range of phototoxins, occurring in many plant species, with respect to their role in insect herbivory and on insects, is not fully understood. The types of compounds include polyac...
-
Article
Indicator plant-soil mercury patterns in a mercury-rich mining area of British Columbia
British Columbia is commonly considered to be highly mercuriferous. Regional plant-soil Hg distribution patterns in B.C. and adjacent Alberta distinguish not only Hg-rich sites with histories of thermal activi...
-
Article
Thiarubrine A, a bioactive constituent ofAspilia (Asteraceae) consumed by wild chimpanzees
Two African species ofAspilia (Asteraceae), which are used medicinally by man and which are eaten by wild chimpanzees in an unusual manner, were found to contain the potent antibiotic thiarubrine A as a major lea...
-
Article
Berberine: A naturally occurring phototoxic alkaloid
The isoquinoline alkaloid berberine, present in nine different plant families was found to be phototoxic to mosquito larvae. In the presence of near UV the LC50 for acute 24-hr toxicity was 8.8 ppm compared to 25...
-
Chapter
Stress and Secondary Metabolism in Cultured Plant Cells
Grime1 defines “stress” in plants as the external constraints which limit the rate of dry matter production of all or part of the vegetation, e.g. shortages of water, light, mineral nutrients and suboptimal tempe...
-
Article
Fungal culture-filtrate elicits aromatic polyacetylenes in plant tissue culture
-
Article
Examination of naturally occurring polyacetylenes and α-terthienyl for their ability to induce cytogenetic damage
α-Terthienyl and 5 polyacetylenes were examined for chromosome damaging activity using Syrian hamster cells. None of these naturally occurring compounds induced sister chromatid exchanges and neither α-terthie...
-
Chapter
Metabolism of the Aromatic Amino Acids by Fungi
This review is concerned with the biochemical transformations of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan and the subsequent incorporation of the derived aromatic metabolites into pigments, antibiotics and other...
-
Article
News Announcement
-
Article
Dermatologically active sesquiterpene lactones in trichomes ofParthenium hysterophorus L. (Compositae)
Scanning electron microscopy of the leaf surface, phyllaries and achene-complex ofParthenium hysterophorus L. showed the presence of 4 types of glandular and non-glandular trichomes. Chemical analysis established...
-
Article
Flavonoids ofMetrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae)
Dans deux variétés deMétrosideros polymorpha Gaud. (Myrtaceae), nous avons trouvé les favanoides suivants: arabinoside-3, galactoside-3, rhamnoside-3-quercetine, et arabinoside-3, thamnoside-3-myricetine; en outr...
