Allelochemicals from the seaweeds and their bioprospecting potential.

Allelochemicals are secondary metabolites which function as a natural protection against grazing activities by algae and higher plants. They are one of the major metabolites engaged in the interactions of organisms. The chemically mediated interactions between organisms significantly influence the functioning of the ecosystems. Most of these compounds are secondary metabolites comprising sterols, terpenes, and polyphenols. These compounds not only play a defensive role, but also exhibit biological activities such as antioxidants, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation, and anti-microbial properties. This review article discusses the current understanding of the allelochemicals of seaweeds and their bioprospecting potential that can bring benefit to humanity. Specifically, the bioactive substances having specific health benefits associated with the consumption or application of seaweed-derived compounds. The properties of such allelochemicals can have implications for bioprospecting pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic applications.

Synthesis and electronic properties of ester substituted 1,4-dicyanodibenzodioxins and evaluation of anti-proliferative activity of all isomeric 1,2-, 2,3- and 1,4-dicyanodibenzodioxins against HeLa cell line.

1,4-Dicyanodibenzodioxins bearing carboxy methyl ester groups were synthesized using our established one-step SNAr coupling reaction between ortho- and meta-ester substituted catechols and perfluorinated terephthalonitrile. These are the first examples of 1,4-dicyanodibenzodioxins substituted at both the benzene moieties. Optical spectra were similar to the earlier examples reported, with a marginal blue shift for the ester dibenzodioxins. Theoretical analysis of the molecular orbitals reveals modest destabilization of the frontier molecular orbitals of one carboxy methyl ester isomer over the other and overall higher HOMO-LUMO gap for both isomers when compared to the earlier published 1,4-dicyanodibenzodioxins. In vitro cytotoxicity against human cervical cancer HeLa cell line was evaluated for these two compounds and all other previously published dibenzodioxins from our laboratory (1,4-dicyano, 1,2-dicyano and 2,3-dicyano variants). A number of derivatives showed anti-tumor activity in µM ranges and also exhibited no cytotoxicity against normal HEK 293 cell line. Mechanistic investigation of cell death pathways indicated high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the dibenzodioxin treated tumor cell lines along with cellular nuclear fragmentation, both of which are markers of the apoptotic cell death pathway.

Isolation and X-ray structure of deoxycholic acid from the sponge Ircinia sp.

Ethyl acetate extract of the sponge Ircinia sp., collected by SCUBA divers off the coast of southern India, contained a cholest-based sterol of insignificant antimicrobial activity, with one carboxylic acid side chain (3alpha, 7beta-dihydroxy-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid, DCA). The structure of the compound was determined by spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. DCA crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4(1)2(1)2, chirality documented by solution optical rotation [alpha]D = +67.4 degrees (c 0.16, CHCl3).

Mono and dinuclear arene ruthenium(II) triazoles by 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to a coordinated azide in ruthenium(II) compounds.

The dimeric η(6)-hexamethylbenzene ruthenium(II) triazole compounds of formulation [{(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))Ru(N(3)C(2)(CO(2)R)(2))}(2)(µC(2)O(4))] have been synthesized by 1,3-diploar cycloadditions of coordinated azido compound [{(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))Ru(L(1))N(3)}] (1) with substituted acetylene, RO(2)CC(2)CO(2)R via unexpected oxidation of the coordinated ligand to oxalate (where; L(1) = 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-pyrone; R = Me, 3 or Et, 4). In contrast, a similar 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of [{(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))Ru(L(2))N(3)}] (2) (where; L(2) = tropolone) with acetylene yielded the monomeric triazole compound [(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))Ru(L(2)){N(3)C(2)(CO(2)R)(2)}] (where; R = Me, 5; Et, 6). The compounds were characterized by spectroscopy and the structures of representative compounds 4 and 6 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The two ruthenium centres in the compound 4, are linked by a tetra-dentate oxalate group. Both compounds, 4 and 6, crystallized in a triclinic space group P-1.