title: Antimicrobial phenolics and unusual glycerides from Helichrysum italicum subsp. microphyllum.
abstract: During a large-scale isolation campaign for the heterodimeric phloroglucinyl pyrone arzanol (1a) from Helichrysum italicum subsp. microphyllum, several new phenolics as well as an unusual class of lipids named santinols (5a-c, 6-8) have been characterized. Santinols are angeloylated glycerides characterized by the presence of branched acyl- or keto-acyl chains and represent a hitherto unreported class of plant lipids. The antibacterial activity of arzanol and of a selection of Helichrysum phenolics that includes coumarates, benzofurans, pyrones, and heterodimeric phloroglucinols was evaluated, showing that only the heterodimers showed potent antibacterial action against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. These observations validate the topical use of Helichrysum extracts to prevent wound infections, a practice firmly established in the traditional medicine of the Mediterranean area.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica delle Sostanze Naturali, Università di Napoli Federico II , Via Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy. scatagli@unina.it
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taglialatela-Scafati
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pollastro
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chianese
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minassi
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: Warunya
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arunotayanun
authors.forename: Blessing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mabebie
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballero
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Appendino
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005989:Glycerides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036562:Helichrysum / Q000737:chemistry*; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D011753:Pyrones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005989:Glycerides; D010636:Phenols; D011753:Pyrones; C517830:arzanol; D010696:Phloroglucinol