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Francesca Faini

Publications and source records attributed to Francesca Faini.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Antioxidant activity of coumarins and flavonols from the resinous exudate of Haplopappus multifolius.

The antioxidant activity of eight coumarins and two flavonols isolated from Haplopappus multifolius was studied with the DPPH radical method. Results show that a high concentration of phenolic coumarins and the presence of quercetin and rhamnetin in the exudates could account for the protection of the plant against oxidative stress. Structures for the coumarins 6-hydroxy-7-[(E,E)-3',7'-dimethyl-2',4',7'-octatrienyloxy] coumarin and 7-[(E)-3'-methyl-4'-hydroxy-2'-butenyloxy] coumarin are proposed on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.

Antioxidants↗

Antifungal and insect antifeedant 2-phenylethanol esters from the liverwort Balantiopsis cancellata from Chile.

A chemical study of a dichloromethane extract of Balantiopsis cancellata led to the isolation of four known 2-phenylethanol esters (1-4) and a phenylethanediol benzoate (5). Antifeedant activity toward Spodoptera littoralis (disk-choice bioassay) and growth inhibition of the phytopathogen Cladosporium herbarum in TLC-bioautography assays were determined. The results show that the antifeedant and antifungal activity of the extract is attributable mainly to the trans-beta-methylthioacrylate 4.

Animals↗

Antioxidant properties and TLC characterization of four Chilean Haplopappus-species known as bailahuén.

"Bailahuén" is the common name of a medicinal shrub native to Chile where this resinous herb is widely used for its liver stimulating properties. Although the official species is Haplopappus baylahuen Remy (Asteraceae), other species of the same genus are also used in different regions as "bailahuén". A thin layer chromatography (TLC) method for rapid identification of different species and detection of adulterations is described for four of the species: Haplopappus baylahuen, Haplopappus taeda Reiche, Haplopappus multifolius Phil., and Haplopappus remyanus Wedd. To confirm efficiency in all species antioxidant properties were screened in resins, infusions, and methanolic extracts by tests of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes and free radical scavenging activity by DPPH. In both studies Haplopappus baylahuen showed the lowest antioxidant capacity. In DPPH analyses, infusion and resins of Haplopappus baylahuen also showed the lowest and Haplopappus remyanus the major inhibiting activity of free radicals, while Haplopappus multifolius proved to have the highest result when the methanolic extracts were used. The chemical characterization of the studied species showed important levels of flavonoids and coumarins, with flavonoids predominating in Haplopappus taeda, coumarins in Haplopappus multifolius and both of them in Haplopappus baylahuen and Haplopappus remyanus.

Antioxidants↗

Evaluation of synergism in the feeding deterrence of some furanocoumarins on Spodoptera littoralis.

The phagodepression activity of five furanocoumarins (FC), bergapten, xanthotoxin, psoralen, imperatorin, and angelicin, has been studied against larvae of Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) using a leaf-disk choice bioassay. The dose range used was 0-10 microg/cm2 for linear furocoumarins and 0-30 microg/cm2 for angelicin, the angular furanocoumarin. Dose-feeding deterrency activity correlations were governed by various sigmoidal functions, except in the case of imperatorin and bergapten, which had dose-response curves showing irregular traces with two maxima. All five FCs induced various degrees of phagodepression in S. littoralis; at 3 microg/cm2, the relative feeding deterrence was bergapten = xanthotoxin > psoralen = imperatorin = angelicin. Structure-activity correlations indicated that a methoxy group on C-5 or C-8 enhanced the activity. Comparison of experimental feeding deterrence of binary mixtures of imperatorin with xanthotoxin, bergapten, or psoralen at various relative concentrations with the calculated additive activity of each combination indicated that a proportion of 40% or more of imperatorin may exert a greater antifeedant effect on S. littoralis than the sum of individual compounds. The effect of angelicin also was examined in combination with psoralen, both of which are present in Psoralea plants. Their mixtures yielded a clear synergistic effect in the 20-80% angelicin range (coactivity coefficient = 124-133). By contrast, the effect of angelicin on xanthotoxin was only additive. In the dose-response curves of imperatorin/bergapten combinations, synergism was found at >60% imperatorin relative concentration and 1 microg/cm2, whereas lower proportions led to antagonism. The threshold between the two opposing effects was found to depend on the total FC concentration employed. Some natural systems contain FCs in the range of synergistic proportions recorded here and, thus, may have been produced by the host to increase its defensive effect at a lower metabolic cost.

Animals↗

Labdane diterpenes from Haplopappus illinitus.

A chemical study of aerial parts of Haplopappus illinitus afforded five labdane diterpenoids whose structures were elucidated by high field NMR spectroscopy and 2D techniques. Four of them are dicarboxylic acids previously reported as the corresponding dimethyl ester derivatives and the fifth is a new compound.

Chile↗

Antioxidant capacity of abietanes from Sphacele salviae.

Carnosol 1, rosmanol 2, carnosic acid 3 and 20-deoxocarnosol 4, the main phenolic abietanes present in aerial parts of the Chilean medicinal plant Sphacele salviae were tested for antioxidant activity of measuring the decay of the radical cation diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). All compounds displayed higher antioxidant levels than BHT under the same conditions and carnosic acid was more efficient than vitamin E.

Abietanes↗