title: Bioactivity of latifolin and its derivatives against termites and fungi.
abstract: Latifolin (1) and its derivatives were investigated with the aim of confirming the correlation between bioactivity (antitermite and antifungal activity) and chemical structure. Termite mortality in response to the derivatives 2'-O-methyllatifolin (2), latifolin dimethyl ether (4), and latifolin diacetate (5) increased 2-fold compared to compound 1. The mortality rate from 5-O-methyllatifolin (3) was not different from 1. The mass loss (feed consumption by termite) in response to compounds 3-5 was 3 times greater than compound 1, and the mass loss from compound 2 was twice as great as compound 1. The mortality rate from compounds 4 and 5 increased sharply 7 days after initial exposure. In assessing the antifungal activity of these compounds, it was found that the inhibition rates of white- and brown-rot fungi in response to all derivatives were less than that for compound 1. Our findings indicate that the phenolic hydroxyl group at C-5 of the A ring provides antitermite activities (mortality and mass loss). In addition, both C-5 and C-2' phenolic hydroxyl groups in the A and B rings have antifungal activity against white- and brown-rot fungi. In conclusion, the bioactivity of compound 1 depends upon the position of phenolic hydroxyl groups.
authors.affiliation: The United Graduate School Agricultural Science, Iwate University, 3-18-34 Ueda, Morioka 020-8550, Japan. abe10152@tds1.tr.yamagata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ashitani
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibutani
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Koetsu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055453:Coriolaceae / Q000187:drug effects; D035782:Dalbergia / Q000737:chemistry*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007306:Insecticides; D020049:Isoptera; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055454:Trametes / Q000187:drug effects; D014197:Trees; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D007306:Insecticides; D010636:Phenols; C543734:latifolin