A new epoxy-cadinane sesquiterpene, 4beta,5beta-epoxycadinan-1beta-ol (1), and six known cadinane sesquiterpenes: cadinan-1,4,5-triol (2), 4alpha,5beta-dihydroxycubenol (3), cubenol (4), cadinan-3-ene-1,5-diol (5), cubenol-3-one (6), and torreyol (7), were isolated from a sample of marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata collected off the coast of Yantai (China). Their structures were establi...

3-Ishwarone, (1), a sesquiterpene with a rare ishwarane skeleton, was isolated from Peperomia scandens Ruiz & Pavon (Piperaceae). Its structure was unambiguously determined by 1D- and 2D-NMR and infrared analyses, as well as by comparative theoretical studies which involved calculations of 13C-NMR chemical shifts, using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) with the mPW1PW91 hybrid functional and...

A synthetic approach to the tricyclic sesquiterpene sulcatine G, 2, bearing a novel tricyclo[6.2.0.2(2,6)]decane framework, from commercially available 1,5-cod and leading to the first total synthesis of the natural product is described.

To overcome the potential future demand for terpenoids used as drugs, a new production platform is currently being established in our laboratory. The moss Physcomitrella has been chosen as the candidate organism for production of drug candidates based on terpenoids derived from plants, with a primary focus on the sesquiterpene lactone, thapsigargin. This drug candidate and other candidates/drug...

A new lactarane sesquiterpene, 1,2-dehydrolactarolide A (1), together with lactarorufin A (2), 3-O-ethyllactarolide A (3) and 3-O-ethyllactarolide B (4), was isolated from a mushroom of the Russulaceae family, Lactarius vellereus. Additionally, two lactarane sesquiterpenes, lactarorufin A (2) and lactarolide A (5) were isolated from L. subpiperatus. 1,2-Dehydrolactarolide A (1) showed promotion...

Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are a group of secondary metabolites that represent a diverse and unique class of natural products and are important constituent of essential oils, formed from head-to-tail condensation of three isoprene units and subsequent cyclization and oxidative transformation to produce a cis or trans-fused lactone. In this editorial we are going to focus on anticancer, anti-i...

A new sesquiterpene, 9-hydroxyfurodysinin-O-ethyl lactone, has been isolated from a New Caledonian Dysidea arenaria, along with three known compounds. The possible incorporation of the ethyl ether from the extraction solvent is discussed.

Studies aimed at a comparison of chemical, biomimetic (Gif system GoAgg(III))and enzymatic (CHMO) transformations of natural (+)-10beta,14-dihydroxy-allo-aromadendrane have led to preparation of an eight-member sesquiterpene lactone.

A 12-year-old hairy root culture of Cichorium intybus L., a callus culture of the plant as well as roots and leaves of a wild plant of chicory, and roots of two C. intybus L. var. sativum cultivars were examined in respect of their hydroxycinnamate and sesquiterpene lactone compositions and contents. Total phenolics and diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of the examined plant ti...