title: Algicidal and antifungal compounds from the roots of Ruta graveolens and synthesis of their analogs.
abstract: Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of Ruta graveolens roots yielded rutacridone epoxide with potent selective algicidal activity towards the 2-methyl-isoborneol (MIB)-producing blue-green alga Oscillatoria perornata, with relatively little effect on the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. The diol-analog of rutacridone epoxide, gravacridondiol, which was also present in the same extract, had significantly less activity towards O. perornata. Rutacridone epoxide also showed significantly higher activity than commercial fungicides captan and benomyl in our micro-bioassay against the agriculturally important pathogenic fungi Colletotrichum fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, and Botrytis cineara and Fusarium oxysporium. Rutacridone epoxide is reported as a direct-acting mutagen, precluding its use as an agrochemical. In order to understand the structure-activity relationships and to develop new potential biocides without toxicity and mutagenicity, some analogs containing the (2-methyloxiranyl)-dihydrobenzofuran moiety with an epoxide were synthesized and tested. None of the synthetic analogs showed comparable activities to rutacridone epoxide. The absolute stereochemistry of rutacridone was determined to be 2'(R) and that of rutacridone epoxide to be 2'(R), 3'(R) by CD and NMR analysis.
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, P.O. Box 8048, University, MS 38677, USA. kmeepaga@olemiss.edu
authors.forename: Kumudini M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Meepagala
authors.forename: Kevin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wedge
authors.forename: Stephen O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Duke
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000187:drug effects*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D032105:Ruta / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts