Abstract
Twenty unsaturated sesquiterpene dialdehydes were tested for antimicrobial, algaecidal, cytotoxic, and mutagenic activity. In addition to the known antifungal activity, polygodial (1) also exhibited antibacterial and cytotoxic activity; epipolygodial (2) was slightly less active. The most active compounds were: isovelleral (7), isoisovelleral (8), velleral (20), and methylmarasmate (6). With the exception of velleral (20), they also exhibited mutagenic activity in the Salmonella/ microsome assay. Derivatization to less polar compounds usually increased the antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects and reduced mutagenicity, while the introduction of hydroxyl groups had the reverse effect.
Key words
Sesquiterpene dialdehydes - antimicrobial activity - cytotoxic activity - mutagenic activity
