Chemical constituents and allelopathic and antioxidant activities of Alchorneopsis floribunda Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae)

Abstract

Chemical investigation of extracts from the stems and leaves of Alchorneopsis floribunda Müll. Arg., collected in the Amazon region, was performed. The main isolated compounds were triterpenes (α-amyrin, β-amyrin, lupeol, betulin, betulinic acid, uvaol, erythrodiol and oleanolic acid) and phenolic acid derivatives from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (gallic and protocatechuic acids and isocorilagin). In the germination assays, high inhibitory allelopathic effects of the extracts and isocorilagin were observed and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of isocorilagin was higher than those of the standards used (Trolox and butylated hydroxyanisole). This is the first chemical study of the genus Alchorneopsis (Euphorbiaceae).

Keywords:

• Alchorneopsis floribunda
• terpenoids
• phenolic acids
• isocorilagin
• allelopathic bioassays
• DPPH

Acknowledgements

The authors thank FAPESPA/PA and CNPq for financial support.