BIOLOGICAL-ACTIVITY OF SECONDARY METABOLITES FROM BUPLEURUM-SALICIFOLIUM (UMBELLIFERAE)

Secondary metabolites from Bupleurum salicifolium were tested against viruses, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, the yeast Candida a lbicans, the nematodes Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis, the ins ect Spodoptera littoralis and the crustacean Artemia salina. These com pounds were also tested against tumoral and non-tumoral cell lines. Th e polyacetylene 8S-heptadeca-2(Z)-9(Z)-diene-4,6-diyne-1,8-diol exhibi ted toxicity for A. salina and specific antibiotic activity against Gr am-positive bacteria. Nine of the lignans and one coumarin showed toxi city for A. salina, and the lignans bursehernin and matairesinol inhib ited the hatching of the two nematode species. These are the first lig nans that have been reported as affecting phytoparasitic nematodes, an d the first natural products known to have an effect on the hatching o f G. pallida. Lignans may play a role in the defence mechanisms of pot ato plants, as allelopathic substances acting against cyst-forming nem atodes.