title: C-methylated and C-prenylated isoflavonoids from root extract of Desmodium uncinatum.
abstract: A pterocarpan, 1,9-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-methylpterocarpan (named uncinacarpan) and two isoflavanones, 5,7-dihydroxy-2',3',4'-trimethoxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)isoflavanone (named uncinanone D) and 5,4'-dihydroxy-7,2'-dimethoxy-6-methylisoflavanone (named uncinanone E), were isolated from the CH(2)Cl(2) root extract of Desmodium uncinatum (Jacq.) DC and characterised by spectroscopic methods. In addition, a rare pterocarpan edudiol and two known abietane diterpenes, 7-oxo-15-hydroxydehydroabietic acid and 7-hydroxycallitrisic acid were identified. The fraction of the root extract that was analysed induced germination of Striga hermonthica seeds, but none of the isolated compounds showed this activity.
authors.affiliation: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Salome M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Guchu
authors.forename: Abiy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yenesew
authors.forename: Muniru K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Tsanuo
authors.forename: Nicholas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gikonyo
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.forename: Antony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanali
mesh_terms: D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018525:Germination; D008745:Methylation; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D017368:Protein Prenylation; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts